A Little Cluster of Stars
by PixieGirl17
Summary: OCXJim, the story of the daughter of a space Captain which chronicles her life from childhood to when she meets the handsome, young Captain Hawkins...
1. Death of a Mother

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Death of a Mother

For **awsmninja**

"Xavier."

Xavier looked up and saw his wife standing in the doorway glancing over at him. She had been so quiet and still he could have mistaken her for a ghost. She almost looked dead standing there almost without a soul. It was almost like she knew. It was like she had known for the entire time, even when he told his lie when he came home. She looked at him and should have known that she was smarter than that. Her golden red hair was waving back and forth in front of her eyes, was the window open? He looked around and saw that there wasn't even a breeze. He turned back to her and licked his lips. She looked tired. He didn't blame her. This pregnancy had been difficult but apparently she was determined to have it. Almost as if to prove something. Not to him but to...No, he was imagining things. Not that he was proud of it but...There was something about the way that she looked at him now. She had become so distant from him since he could back from the wars. They hadn't a child in a while. Not since he returned from the wars. She had her hand resting over her overly swollen belly. She had look which was somewhere between deep affection and indifference. He could never read her mind like he used to. Sometimes he was never really sure as to what she was thinking sometimes. It was difficult after he had returned from the Celestial Wars. Ever since...

"Darling. You should be in bed."

He got up and walked towards her. He missed those times when they would embrace one another when the children weren't looking or when he would wrap his arm around her waist and dance with her around the hallway, like on the evening when they first met. The small, ghost of her smile grew more as he came closer and closer to her. She was looking a little hopeful now. He almost felt a little hopeful himself but he always knew what would be hiding behind that smile. Almost as if she had a touch of doubt in him which he would never blame her for. Particularly when he returned from the wars. Everything changed after that day. They never spoke of it and she never questioned his decision but there was always something which laid within this decision which made him doubt him. After that, all there seemed to be which lied between were lies. There seemed to almost be an under-layer of guilt there somewhere, mostly within himself since he was the one who was carrying it for the both of them. He was the only one who had done anything wrong. A dark secret he was never going to tell her.

"The baby is due any day now and the doctors say that you need your rest."

She nodded. "I know. I was just wondering when you were going to come to bed."

She stroked his arm affectionately which made goosebumps go up and down his arm. It reminded him when they first met. He was so nervous, but he always felt a spark with...He shook his head trying desperately to forget the dark green eyes and the midnight black hair.

"Soon. I just have to go through this paperwork and then I will be done."

She sighed. "Then you will back on another adventure of yours in a week. It's so close to the birth, Xavier. I almost think you're going to miss your first-"

Then she bit her lip stopping herself from finishing her sentence. Xavier, however, was not going to let this go so easily since he had a feeling about what she was actually referring to.

"What?" He said rather softly but a bit too forcefully.

She finally looked up at him with her bluebell eyes and blinked. "It's just you'll never talk about it. I sometimes think you're never going to tell me the truth about where you found-"

"Sweetheart, please. You know I will tell you everything one day. But right now it's too delicate a matter."

She sighed softly but then her eyes widened slightly. She gripped her stomach and then gave out something between a moan and a cry of pain.

Xavier frowned. "Darling."

She gripped his arm. "Xavier. The baby's coming."

~ (***) ~

It was over. She was never going to see her again. Such a strange thought as well. She couldn't continue denying it or hoping for time to reverse, wishing for such things was fickle and wasteful. She was dead. She was cold and dead and there was nothing she could do about it. In less than a few hours she was going to be buried the ground, become part of the earth and eventually faded away body and soul. Her memory would always remain a stain on her mind. The little girl stared out the window as she watched the bleak sky, stained by the falling rain feeling as empty as the colourless sky. The weather seemed to suit the day when a bright, warm soul had now passed from this world to the next, leaving this world cold and empty. The warmth that she brought to this world had now been savagely and selfishly snatched away by death. She wore a traditional mourning dress of black silk with white lace on the cuffs and neckline. She felt she would remain in this dress for all eternity. Her black hair was savagely pulled back into a bun and with her pale complexion, the dark rings under her eyes and her dark, bright green eyes made her look almost like a vampire. She would forever always be the dead wondering amongst the living but her soul remaining with the loved one she had now had lost. She would wander amongst the mists of purgatory searching for her mother.

Her senses were numb and the world around her seemed like a void to her now. She couldn't feel anything. She could never have expected a month, or even a week ago that she would be like this. She was never aware of that the fact you could experience this level of sadness. Apart from the sound of rain falling from outside, the only thing she could hear or more accurately what she thought she was hearing was the disillusioned sound of a woman's cry echoing about the silent mansion. She wasn't sure whether it was real, whether it was the echoes of ghosts or her own mind tormenting her. It was if it had been abandoned and was only occupied by ghosts. Living ghosts. Those who still occupied the house and was still living were merely visitors, this was truly only a home for ghosts. Cassandra being one of them. She turned to the vacant bed, no longer with any bed clothes or a corpse occupying it. Yet, she could still picture the lifeless body and the blood stained fabric as if the nightmare continued to haunt her. Whenever she would come into this room, she would always be able to see her dead mother's eyes staring at her. All that remained was the image, that lonely room and the child which brought new life and early death into the household. Nothing would ever be the same again.

All emotion had been drained out of her. She felt like she had been wounded in battle and had bled so much that beyond her death she was still hovering about her graveyard and amongst those she used to love. Now she could no longer touch them let alone even smile at their unseeing faces. Any chance of empathy had been snatched away. She wouldn't be able to comfort her brothers who needed it just as much as she did. She didn't resent the infant nor did she acknowledge it as her sibling or give it any sisterly affection. To her it was just a piece of evidence or inarguable form of proof that her mother was dead. Whenever she looked at her she felt like she was staring at a bloodied knife or a gun. Despite that it was what was expected of her, she decided to have nothing to do with it. She was expected to take on the role of her mother as if she was a good enough substitute for a mother. How could they expect her to carry out a responsibility like that? At nine years of age as well. She wasn't going to hate it but she wasn't going to love it either. They couldn't force her. She turned back to the window and returned to staring out into the blank sky and her silent, solemn state. She ignored the hard, quick knock on the door nor to the second time when it was more like a banging. She didn't want to go to the funeral, she already had enough reminders of her mother's death.

There was a pause. She let his voice drift in the air. She decided to let it hang there for as long as he was willing to. She wanted to be the one to win this game of resilience and control. She wanted to show him that she wasn't going to give into what he expected her to response. She didn't know why she had to be the one to respond. She knew he would be fuming behind the door by now. He would give her a moment before taking charge as he always did. He always liked to be the winner. When she heard a youth strode into the room in a majestic, superior manner she couldn't help but smile cynically. He was so predictable. He scanned the room and his thunderous eyes soon resting on his younger sister. He turned to the young girl and understood the emotionless state the young girl was in. He sighed, half annoyed, half worried. Probably more annoyed than worried, but then again he was glad she wasn't being incredibly emotional opposed to the behaviour she was displaying now. His younger brother had been in tears all week. That was no way for a man to behave. On the other hand, he would rather roles had been switched. For her to be emotional and the other brother to be emotionless. He just hoped she would perk up a bit on the appropriate occasions.

He cleared his throat and walked up to her, stopping when he was only a few feet away. He still wanted to be a cautious distance from her, as if she had some disease he was scared of catching easily. There was something frightening about the way she was behaving. It was almost as if someone else had jumped into her body and stripped her of all her emotions. She had changed so much over the past few days. It was like her spirit left her body empty and flown off with their mothers after that terrible, bloody night. Or he had heard that it was a rather bloody affair. She didn't scream or act out rashly but he was afraid of her snapping almost at any moment. Her demeanour was so cold, so haunting he almost mistook her for a ghost. The girl continued to stare out the window and didn't seem to register his presence. He was unsure whether she was even there let alone if she was aware that he was standing in the room. But she knew he was there. As such as she was in the world of the dead she was also still trapped in the world of the living. However the lack of acknowledgement began to annoy him. He was the almost the head of the family, after their father. He deserved at least some respect from her. He cleared his throat so savagely it felt like he was dragging a rake against it. Her eyes flickered at the sound as if she woke from a gentle dream. She turned her head slightly to show her regard for his presence.

"Cassandra?" He asked, narrowing his eyes, gradually becoming vexed and anxious by her behaviour.

She was silent for a long time before she answered, making her quiet, weak voice all the more haunting.

"Yes, Fredrick?"

The room suddenly went cold for a moment and was more afraid of her right now than going back to his father without his sister. There was something about her which had completely changed. She was like a different person now.

He shuddered slightly before answering her. "The carriage is here to take us the cemetery."

She nodded as if a wedding planner had confirmed that all the plans were running smoothly. There was nothing more to be said on the matter. She knew she had to be strong now. She was the only Richardson woman left and she had to show herself to be one. She was the daughter of the bravest ship captain in the galaxy and she was going to behave like it. Not some crybaby girl who needed to go to a Ladies Academy. Her eyes looked a little wide and had some assurance of her sanity. In that moment Fredrick really believed that she was actually alright. That their mothers death really hadn't affected her as much as she allowed the rest of the household to believe. Fredrick didn't mind her reserved manner at the moment in time, but compared to her previous nature, the adventurous, wild child that she was made this new Cassandra all the more frightening. He wished that father hadn't dismissed the servants for the day, otherwise he wouldn't have to deal with this. He had protested before going up to summon her however Captain Richardson scolded him for his spoilt nature and ordered him like a servant to go fetch her.

"Come, Cassandra."

He held out his hand for her to take. She turned round slowly and gracefully placed her hand in his. He shivered at her cold touch and led her out the room. She stared hauntingly into his eyes, dark circle around her eyes showing lack of sleep from the previous sights of tragedy witnessed by one so young which would haunt her forever.

"We mustn't be late." He whispered, with a lump in his throat.

~ (***) ~

Cassandra was more preoccupied with the rain rather than the actual service. She thought it appropriate for it to be raining. Someone which the world needed was gone. She also felt like it was trying to wash away all the blood which had been split that night. She supposed is was a better thing to concern herself with. She was avoiding the whole affair but she was only nine. She should be excused for avoiding having to participate in the event which commiserated the death of her mother. She glanced around at the rest of her family and her nanny, Gina and there was nothing but disgust in her eyes. They didn't understand the horror of her mothers death. She didn't realise the amount of pain she had been put through, no one would ever understand, save her father. They weren't there. Perhaps Gina could be dismissed because of this but she wasn't attending her mothers funeral. Cassandra was. Cassandra was the one who was going to have to go without a mother. The rain continued to pour down, pounding against the earth, willing for the lost mother to be finally buried in the ground. She snapped her fingers impatiently and glanced up at the sky again. It was the heaven crying the tears which Cassandra couldn't show. All except her were mourning without shame. That bloody sight had snatched away all childish notions, or the sentimentality that she had left inside her, leaving her empty.

She never thought that she was ever going to go back there again. There was no one who was going to be able to bring back all those things which her mother made her think was real. There was no way that she was ever going to go back to being the person she once was. When she walked away from the place of her burial she felt like an adolescent walking further and further away from childhood. It was strange but good. She was glad that she had found out about all this now rather than going a second longer knowing about all of this. She was glad the transition of childhood to adolescence was happening now and not too late on in life. That was what was really happening though wasn't it? She was being stripped of everything she once believed and she was exposed to what really was. It was a strange but liberating feeling she had to admit. It didn't mean that it wasn't painful. Of course it was to be painful otherwise what was the point of growing up? Still, one always felt a sense of regret when this happened them, it made you wish that you could actually go back but then you realised there was no going back. It wasn't supposed to happen this fast. Her innocence was supposed to slip away gradually. She could see that now. She knew the unspeakable pain of having all of it being ripped away from her all in one go. Instead of picking off the petals of the daisy one by one the entire head was completely ripped off in one swift action.

All those things she once believed had now died along with her mother. All those stories she would tell her before she went to sleep. All those songs that she would sing to her through those restless nights. All those beautiful, imaginary misconceptions of the world were now gone, she had no use for them any more. How could you take things like that with you into adulthood? What was their purpose there? They were all trivial to her now and all that remained were the harsh truths of the world. Her other brother, George, who was a few years older and miles closer to her affections than her other brother who walked beside her. She didn't even look at him, the old Cassandra would have taken his hand by now and comforted him. She didn't want to acknowledge anyone at the funeral. Not even the people giving their condolences. The one who was behaving a little better than George was. She glanced at him as saw with a pang of malice the signs of mourning. His eyes were scarlet red with despair and loss of a parent. She couldn't understand how someone older than her could be more sorrowful than her. She was in more sorrow than these people, she couldn't even bring herself to shed the tears she yearned for.

"I can't believe she's..." He couldn't finish the sentence.

She knew what she was going to say before she even interrupted him. She did it because she wanted to set him straight. He had more of a reason to be sad than most people at this funeral but no more than her, she was there when their mother died. They didn't know what their mother went through to bring that child into this world. The one which wasn't even aware of the sacrifice their mother had made to bring her into this world. It was possible to believe that she was dead or maybe it wasn't necessary. Maybe he was too much in mourning to be able to articulate his feelings and emotions.

"No. It's not." She replied coldly.

She looked at him through slanted but curious eyes. It wasn't so hard to believe. They had watched her being buried in the ground. They had seen it with their own eyes. She found it difficult to believe that if she could figure this out why he couldn't. Perhaps he really did know he just didn't want to admit to it. They had just witnessed her being buried in the ground, the all witnessed the blood which dominantly marked that memory in their minds as concrete assurance that she was dead. It was all over. There was no going back, destiny had thrown in its card and there was no way it was going to be able to take it back, even if it wanted to. There was to be no more wishing. No more fantasies of her being magically brought back to life just because it was the only way to accommodate that pain that you felt. What was the point in wishing for the impossible? Why did people find it so difficult to realise that the one that had passed was now dead? It made the blood in her cold body boil with intense anger, driving her to the insanities of dragging her mother out the earth. She wanted to scream to the heavens and rip out her hair for them to know what real torment was.

George Richardson stared at his younger sister with absolute horror and despair, shocked at the depth of her coldness. "How can you be so heartless?"

Cassandra shrugged. "Death has made me so. I feel like death. I am death. Therefore I have no heart."

George drew away slightly, glancing for a moment towards their father with concern. "Cassandra why do you speak like this?"

"Because death has made me so." She replied simply. "If you must blame anyone blame death. I will do so the day I meet him face to face."

Cassandra was only a child of nine, yet to George she was speaking like someone who had lived for a thousand years. Who had witnessed too many deaths and still yearned for their own. Over one night his sister turned from the affectionate, outspoken young girl to the serious, cold young woman detracting herself from her earthly life.

"Cassandra." He said before she walked off into the distance.

She wanted to be away from the petty mourners not truly understanding the depth of real despair and of the real tragedy that took her mother.

~ (***) ~

Marianne sat in the darkness thinking...That was all, just thinking. That was what she had been doing for all these years. She was always wondering about her since that was all she was left with. She could only ever wonder about all that had passed. She glanced outside at the people down below wondering what it would to be able to do that, to be normal. Although you couldn't do normal things like walk out in broad daylight carelessly when you were wanted at a high price by almost every government. That was one of the privileges of being the daughter of a famous pirate and on top of that making a name for yourself. There were other reasons why she had to hide from society. It was because he asked her to. It would reduce the chances of her finding out about her existence. Of her ever finding out the truth. It was for her he said. She would have done anything for her and for him but...She couldn't help but feel like she had been cheated. That she had been given a bargain of some sort which seemed to be in her favour when it turned out that actually there was nothing in it for her at all. Then again this was always going to be a one-sided deal. That was all she could do nowadays. Everything had been taken from her. She shouldn't blame him. He was doing it all for the best but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. She felt like she had been stabbed in the back sometimes.

"Heya, Lass."

She smiled at the familiar voice and craned her neck. "Hey Dad."

"You doin' alrigh'?" He inquired before setting himself down. "Blimey its dark."

"Has to be." She replied stonily. "If no one is to ever find me I had to remain invisible for the rest of my days."

Her father narrowed her eyes at her in the dark and watched her look out the window with a small, regretful smile on her face and a sorrowful look in her eyes.

"Is that for your sake or his?" He asked carefully.

She sighed. They had been over this time and time again and because he was her father and she was his only daughter (but not his only child) he was never going to be able to let this go. There was something almost worrying about his behaviour sometimes. Whenever he was brought up he always had this look as if to say it was going to go after him.

"Mine...And hers."

He leaned forward. "But...Marianne, love. She was your-"

She stopped him knowing what he was going to say next. She couldn't heart it. She didn't want to hear it. She didn't need to hear it. She didn't need anyone's pity. She just needed to be left alone. She wanted all of this torment to be over. She didn't want to have to go another day where she would come to her mind again. But she knew that was never going to happen. She was always going to be thinking about her.

"No." She interrupted hastily. "No. She was never...It's better if I forget about it all. And so should you."

~ (***) ~

Xavier Richardson was worried about his daughter. It had been a few weeks now since the death of his wife and it still hadn't exactly sunk in yet. She was still cold and distant from others and he had no idea what to do in order to get her back. Before he was such a happy child and was excited at the prospect of a younger sibling. However now she silently passed through the corridors like a ghost and she refused to even look at the child let alone hold her or be a sister to her. In her eyes she was the reason why her mother was dead. He first knew he should be worried because the night of his wife's funeral his younger son came running into the room crying not only from the death of his mother but also for the loss of his sister. When the Captain asked his son what he meant by this he relayed everything which she had admitted to him at the funeral to his father. When he had finished telling him everything he felt his blood run cold. He could see now that his wife had vanished she was beginning to resurface. This was something which he had feared more than his wife discovering the truth about what happened during the war. He kissed his son goodnight and assured him that he would speak to his sister in the morning and that there was no reason to fear. The boy nodded, but still looked a little uncertain. For his first lonely night, Xavier Richardson slept sleeplessly in his bed.

All he could think about was her. He wasn't supposed to be thinking about her. His wife was dead and his daughter was unable to admit that she was in mourning when she was pretending to be brave about it all. She called it mourning when it was actually denial. He couldn't help but feel like she was beginning to finally shine through her daughter. Not just in her looks but there was something about her which always seemed to remind him of her. It was strange that it took until now for her to finally make an appearance after all these years. He was almost beginning to miss her. It was a cruel thing to say considering his wife but there was something about her...He just couldn't stop himself when it was that moment in time. He tried to convince himself that it was all in the past but there was no point denying the fact that there was something about her and he was beginning to see her in her daughter. He got up the next morning and confronted his daughter asking her about what her brother was concerned about. She replied with a cold but polite demeanour and the maturity of an middle-aged woman. It was like she had aged overnight. He was shaking all over but he was determined to keep his resolve. He was going to break through to his daughter.

One some says he would try to talk to her when she was walking around the house. She started doing that a lot lately. Just aimlessly walking around opposed to when she would run around with George chasing her around. Sometimes he would see her walking down the corridor looking down at the ground. She knew that this was the only way to avoid having a conversation with anyone. She didn't want to look at anyone. She was avoid everyone's pity and she was avoiding the other things people were saying.

"Darling do you want to talk today?" He would ask pleasantly.

She would look at him and wonder what he was asking her about. It was the way she narrowed his eyes at him, almost as if she was asking why there was any point in asking her to talk to him. Something which was so mundane and pointless.

"What would you like to talk about?" She asked dully.

It was eerie when he heard her talk like that. She actually reminded her of his mother sometimes when she spoke to him in this austere, strict tone.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Anything you would wish to talk about."

She considered his proposition. "There isn't really anything I am interested in talking about." She replied finally.

He would sigh and let her go on her way. He just didn't know why he just couldn't get through to her. It was like he wanted to smash his head against the wall and cry out. She just didn't realise what she was doing to the rest of the household. Her brother left for school and wished to give a hearty goodbye but when he wrapped his arms around her she simply stood there as if she was a statue which made him even more upset that his sister didn't want to say goodbye to him.

For months he persisted but there was still no progress. It was almost like he was talking to a brick wall most of the time, then again she might as well have been as emotionless as a brick wall. Sometimes he just wanted to scream at her and tell her to snap out of it. That it wasn't just about her loss and grief. She just didn't want to communicate to anyone about what she was going through. She still continued to read and she never played with her brother, George as she used to which made him even more unhappy since his brother never had time for him. His sister was always able to make up for that. He had to admit, sometimes Xavier liked to think that she was the best gift that he had ever given his son. Strangely enough, it wasn't another brother but it was another sister. Although now she even refused to speak to him as much as she used to. She was still as dull and lifeless as she had been from the day of the funeral. It was like something had been sucked out of her. He was almost tempted to throw in the towel but he knew that there was no need for that. He was never going to be so willing as to give up on his daughter. He would never do that to her, or to any of them. He made a promise to her. He owed her that much, after all she never really wanted to give her up...

~ (***) ~

She looked around making sure that she was at the right place. He even had a plate stating his name and profession. Xavier was always like this. He was always so bloody official about everything.

"Marianne...Should you be here?" Her father whispered.

It was rather laughable that he was being so paranoid about being here. He was usually the one who lived for danger he was the one who caused her to have a fit when he went out to do something which she knew that would get him in trouble. He was getting old, he wasn't able to get away with as much as he wanted to any more. Plus, she knew the real reason why he came here. He was looking for something which he had been looking for since before she was born. He always thought it as something which he believed to be his birthright.

She raised an eyebrow. "And I inquire father why _you_ are here?"

He turned away and tried to play innocent. "Um...I came along for emotional support and to talk some sense into ya coming here." He growled.

She had to stop herself from laughing out loud. Emotional support...When was the last time when he actually wanted to give her emotional support for anything?

"Well I am here so you didn't exactly do a good job did you?" She replied cunningly. "So why are you really here?"

"I can't believe we're having this conversati-"

At that moment some servants came around the corner wittering to one another. "The master is in such a bad way..."

"Not as bad as the little miss though. She's never been the same since her mother died." Said another.

"Hm. Strange though..." The maids gave him a look. "Well I heard that...Well that she isn't exactly...er."

Before Marianne could beat two lights out of this snob someone else came the master's young daughters aid.

"Isaac. I hear you speak in this manner again I will report to the master."

This silenced the man who walked off to do the rest of his duties. Her father watched the entire scene and then turned back to his daughter who was pressing her lips together to stop herself from crying.

"We should leave." She decided and got to her feet.

He sighed and followed after her wrapping an arm around her thin shoulders. "It's alright, Darlin'. It's going to be alright."

~ (***) ~

There was a knock on the door. Xavier jumped at the sound hoping that it was his daughter. He always hoped for such a thing. He hoped that the sound of a footstep was her. He hoped that when he heard a female laugh that it might her as well. Anything for a chance to make her the girl she once was or perhaps even to make her happy again. He looked up and saw Gina walked through the door with her usual kind smile on her face. He sank down in his chair but nodded towards her gratefully nonetheless.

"Evening, Captain." She greeted. "I thought you might want something to relax you." She said placing a hot drink in front of him.

"Thank you, Gina." He said softly. "You're an angel. You know that? Where would I be without you?"

She tilted her head. "I'm sure you would be fine...Sir? It is not my place but...I know you are having a lot of trouble with the little miss but it will take time. She just lost her...mother."

He nodded solemnly. She smiled sadly and pressed her hand down on his shoulder and squeeze it reassuringly.

"Sometimes I wonder whether I will ever get her back. It seems like she's gone and...I don't think I'm ever going to find her again."

"You will." She said in time.

She gripped onto his hand and both of them felt something which neither of them either felt in a long time or in Gina's case never at all. She remembered one of the rules instructed to her when she first began her training to never over step the line between servant and employer. As she stared into his eyes and could feel herself shake all over she was sure that she was undeniably stepping over that line.

"Sir..." She apologised and bowed her head respectfully.

As he felt her hand slip away he felt his heart sink and gulped before he grabbed it as fast as a lightening bolt. She gasped at his swiftness and froze. He got to his feet and wrapped his arm around her waist. He pulled her closer until his lips hovered over hers. She was shaking all over. She couldn't believe she was doing this and before she could protest all resistance died on her lips.


	2. A Meeting with Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

A/N: I'd like the thank **SmileyMe01 **for her/his review I appreciate the review and the fact that you called it amazing after the opening chapter really gave me a buzz. Cheers. (Yes, I am British)

**star145 **thanks for alerting and favouriting my story and to **talktoangels77 **for alerting my story too.

A Meeting with Destiny

For **star145**

_6 months later..._

He knew he shouldn't be leaving. He felt like he was abandoning her. He was just going to be pushing her even further away from him but he couldn't stay at home much longer. He had to go out to space again. Not just because he missed it but they were all beginning to feel like he was being what his was daughter was being like. It was still a foolish thing for him to do considering the position his daughter was in at the moment. He still felt like he needed to be there for her at this crucial point in her life. Yet he still had to bring money back into the house. Even if he wasn't going to be there to help the family he was at least going to keep supporting it. She couldn't talk to anyone about what she was going through. She was still behaving like she was fine. Or more that she was still honouring her mothers memory when she was actually doing the exact opposite. She would want her to carry on living as she once did. Not dwelling in this existence. He had hoped that she made at least a little progress before he left. Yet from what Gina had told him she was still in denial. There was no surprise there though. It was going to take a little while for him to be able to get over this tragedy.

"Sir?"

He turned round a warm smile suddenly appeared on his face. He at least had one little comfort in his life at the moment. He knew he should have been ashamed but Gina had become someone who had been able to comfort him in the times when they were no one else to be the shoulder to cry on. Even though their relationship was also an intimate one it didn't mean that she meant nothing to him. She now meant everything to him.

"Gina." He greeted with a smile.

He reached out and brushed a strand of hair which had escaped from her cap. She suddenly went all shy and blushed.

"Thank you, sir."

"Xavier." He corrected.

"Xavier." She repeated diligently.

He took her face and cupped it in between his palms. "Will you be alright without me?"

"I only have to run the house and the two little misses. What I do every day more or less." She replied confidently.

"I was talking more about us, darling. I'm going to miss you."

She looked down shyly and then finally replied. "Of course I will miss you...Xavier."

~ (***) ~

"Now, Jim have you got everything?"

"Yes, Mom."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Sarah, we really need to go."

Jim really did want to go. It made him wonder whether it was going to be this hard when he would eventually leave home and whether she was going to be this reluctant to let him go then.

Sarah put her hands on her hips and gave Doc the most intimidating glare she could give. "I'm just making sure he has everything. Sometimes anyone can over look some things. It's just a-"

"Mom!"

Jim grabbed her by the shoulders and stared intently into her eyes. "I'm going to be fine. You have to trust me on this one alright?"

She sighed and when she looked up she knew she had to give into those big blue eyes of his. It reminded her of when he was a little boy begging for a new pet or another chapter before bed time.

She sighed. "There are those big blue eyes of yours again."

"Huh?"

Jim gave her a look and glanced over at Delbert who was equally as mystified at her sudden calm demeanour. The one thing he could never understand about his mother was that she was so up and down about all her emotions. One minute she was happy and the next she looked like she was about to chase him out the house with a saucepan. It was just plain weird. It almost put him off women altogether. Not that he had met anyone who he was interested in yet but she was really putting him off. And sometimes she said the strangest things as well. Like the whole big blue eyes comment. What did she mean by that? It wasn't like he had used that method recently. He couldn't remember the last time he had made the puppy eyes in order to get his way. It wasn't like it was a good way to get her to forgive him for being brought home by the police for the fifth time. All he was asking her was to just let him go. Why was that so hard? Why was she being so weird about it? He knew he always used to do it as a kid but surely he stopped using the puppy eyes as they are actually called, opposed to big blue eyes. He had to do this if he was going to make it up to his mother. He knew he was always letting her down and now he was going to set things right for her. She never had an easy life and he didn't make it any better. But he wasn't just doing this for her. He was doing this for himself. He wanted to prove to himself that he could do better...

She shook her head. "Never mind, Sweetie. Just come back safe okay? Delbert I'm going to look after your place while you're gone."

"Wonderful!"

"Now I might start cleaning in the library if you don't mind because I really noticed that it was getting a little messy and then I thought I might go on to dusting and sorting through the things in your study to make things more organized..."

~ (***) ~

Cassandra had never seen anything like it. She had read book filled with wonders of the seven corners of the universe. Her father had told her many memorizing tales of her travels but she never expected anything like the spectacle that she now beheld. Solar ships flying above her head soaring across the sky. It all seemed so overwhelming, she clutched onto the skirts of her nursemaid, Gina who had a younger sister cradled in the crook of her arm. Cassandra had never seen so many people before. She had never attended the balls her father went to as she was not yet old enough. Once she enjoyed the pleasure of nature and still did but her childhood passions had somewhat sobered after the death of her mother. She still walked out in the fields amongst the flowers and butterflies in summer. However she no longer chased after the butterflies. She would still swim through the damp, tall grasses in the fresh spring air. She would still linger in the woods with smoky sunlight shining through the autumn trees. Yet she would be in no hurry to run from its bitter winds which seemed to have no affect on her. Or under the grey skies and gentle snowfall of winter. She peered up at the infant that was wrapped around Gina's arm with a look of indifference and coldness. She was never going to love that child. Ever.

The child caught sight of her older sister and reached out for her. For some reason, despite Cassandra's indifference to her she seemed to form an attachment to her. This was something which baffled all of the servants and including Cassandra herself who had not time for the child. It fidgeted in her embrace as if struggling from Gina's grasp. She had a thought that it would escape fall to the ground and crush its skull if she wasn't careful. She shuddered at her own making and turned away from the child and thought. She found it amazing more than frightening that she was capable to conjuring up such a dreadful thing, it was enough to know that Miss Cassandra had such thoughts herself. Even when people offered her to hold her younger sister but she declined in even carrying out her sisterly duties. Some thought that it was out of jealousy although she had a suspicion people were beginning to understand her motives for her actions. She was doing it because she thought she might be betraying her mother's memory. She held the little girl close to her knowing that her own actions was betraying that woman's memory. She was always such a good mistress. She was always fair and good but there was a part of her which told her that even her own actions was a disrespect towards her memory. She was gone but it didn't mean that she had to right to become her husbands mistress so quickly.

The child stared down at her emotionless as it blinked, Cassandra quickly turned away. She probably wondered why she had such an expression on her face. She reached out a hand to her but she ignored it and eventually Gina had to take it and coo the little girl before she got upset over the fact that she wasn't being entertained. Their father had announced a few weeks ago that he had been called on a voyage to the Lagoon Nebula. He had been there before and Cassandra remembered it as the place where their father got his scar on his right shoulder curving down in the direction of his chest. Gina remembered tracing her fingers over that curve one night after their love-making. It was a thin line now but once it was something which seemed rather terrifying, apparently. Her brothers Fredrick and George were absent at their fathers first departure since the death of their mother since they were still at boarding school. Cassandra was somewhat disappointed by this as she would've thought they would've been allowed one day away from school. George had just begun his first year with a terrible start at the death of his mother and leaving his home for the first time made him the most miserable boy in the year let alone the whole school.

"Are you going to miss your father, Misses?" Gina inquired.

~ (***) ~

"So father..." Cassandra greeted when she found him packing. "Is this goodbye?"

He looked over his shoulder and smirked. He knew there was no way to fool his daughter. She was always a quick one. Just like him. He didn't know whether he was going to be able to get away with anything without her knowing about it.

"I suppose this is...Unless you don't want to come with us?"

"Isn't all the places on the ship filled out?" She said distractedly fiddling with a room ornament.

"Yeah but...Wouldn't it be good for ya...To come out into space. Get ya mind off things. Wouldn't it be a good idea?"

She sighed. "Oh Father..." She walked over to his and put her hand on his cheek. "I don't think she's ever going to be far from my thoughts...Is she ever far from your thoughts?"

After she finished talking she instantly regretted it from the look on her father's face. He quickly pushed her hand away and continued packing.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." She scratched the back of her head. There was an uncomfortable silence for a while until her father spoke again.

"I thought you would know better than to talk about her."

"I feel like I can never talk about her." She argued. "Why can't we talk about her? After all she was my s-"

"I SAID NO MARIANNE!" He roared.

She shook all over. Her father was one of the most feared space pirate in many of the galaxies but he seldom talked to her this way. She backed into a corner and sat there for the remainder of when he packed his bags. She watched him throw one thing in after another and wondered whether she should help him but a second thought told her she should know better than to try and interfere at a moment like this. It was like she wasn't allowed to have existed any more. You couldn't just wish away someone like that. Especially from everyone else's thoughts. She could do nothing but wish him luck for trying to try that out with Murat. The moment she left them it was like all memories of her to be chucked away. It was cruel. None of it was her fault. The reason why she 'left' wasn't out of her own choice. She died and that was that. She died in the most horrible way but the tragedy was that she died for something. She actually was the only person in their family who would actually marry for noble reasons. Her father was behaving like she had run away from them, betrayed them in the most heinous way. Then again she was always fathers favourite. What didn't help was that Marianne looked so much like her. It wasn't like she was doing it on purpose or anything...

"Father...I heard an inn was burned to the ground last night." She said, she was thinking out loud and it was a dangerous thing to do but... "You had nothing to do with it did you?"

"Please Marianne I don't have time for this." He growled.

She didn't have any time for this either. It was a place she once called home. Not until he came crashing into her life and she had to throw all of that away. She was a pirate now. At first she loved the idea. It was a way of escaping but now after living for as long as she had as a pirate it was a place where she was still innocent...

"Answer me." She insisted.

He turned around and marched over to her. He was inches away from her face and could feel the hot breath on her face.

"Do you even remember it?" She whispered. "Did you remember what that place meant to me? It was my home."

"Lass...Pirates don't have homes..."

~ (***) ~

Cassandra, still looking out on the open sky and up at the sky ships launching off into space, pressed her lips tightly together and nodded. She knew she would miss her father. She was sure that it would be more than Gina. She knew about her and her father. She saw them kissing one night in the corridor but she never mentioned it to either them. With the way that they behaved around one another it was meant to be a secret. She was fine with secrets. Anyway, she liked Gina. There was something inside her telling her that she was being to cruel and tried to remind her that she couldn't possibly be the only one in mourning. It wasn't all about her. She saw her mother, so light and pure and there was she. She had witnessed the horrors of childbirth and her mothers bloody exit from life and her sisters bloody entrance into it. No one else could understand. She glanced away from the port and saw a young man, probably around the age of fifteen with a ponytail and a earring in one of his ears. She frowned, wondering whether he was a pirate. He didn't seem like one. His face was too kind to be a pirate. She had never met one before and sometimes they could be deceptive but there was something about his eyes which told her that he wasn't...

There was something which stirred something inside her. It frightened her. She hadn't felt anything in years and now there was something so violent inside her trying to escape. It was something which was struggling to break free, she was even beginning to shake just from him standing near her. He looked around Montressor Spaceport with the same miraculous gaze she had. She almost felt like he was a twin spirit to hers. There was something about him which made her feel like she could empathise with him. His eyes were the deepest blue which she recognised from a summer afternoon sky. She missed her summer afternoons but she felt she could never go back. He had a kind, handsome face which reminded her of her father. He looked more like the young men who helped her father on the ship voyages however there was something of an adventurer lying in his eyes. Her father always used to say that you could tell a free spirit or an adventurer if their eyes remind you of the open sky. Her father always used to say that about her. He was somewhere close to the age of her father so in his late-thirties or early forties at least and looked more of a scholar than an adventurer. Cassandra resisted a smile or a laugh which she had yet to have since the passing of her mother.

The young man caught her glance and she gasped and looked away. He gave a warm smile and walked up to her.

"You enjoying the take-offs?"

She looked up self-consciously and tried looking away but still found herself looking back at him. She nodded finally, afraid of seeming rude.

"Do you have a father on board one of the ships?" She nodded again.

"He's a Space Captain." She answered.

"You must miss him when he's away, huh? What about your Mom?" He asked glancing up at Gina. Instead of correcting him she told him out right.

"My mother is dead." She replied stonily.

The boy's smile fell and he looked away quickly. "Oh, I'm sorry. I guess it must be really lonely for you."

She nodded. "What's your name?"

"Cassandra." She replied timidly.

He smirked and held out a hand for her to shake. She glanced at it, it was the first time an older person offered their hand for her to shake.

"Nice to meet you, Cassandra. I'm Jim Hawkins."

She took it not taking her eyes of him. He nodded to her and walked off into the crowds. She watched him until he disappeared not knowing that one day she would see him again...

~ (***) ~

Marianne watched the take off. Of course she was going to. Even though she and her father left on terrible terms but she was never going to miss any of her fathers take off's. There wasn't one which she had ever missed if memory served her correctly. She had to admit as she watched it take off her heart sunk a little. She did secretly wish she was going with them. She missed that open sky...Out of the corner of her eye she saw a little, dark haired girl. She looked so serious and solemn. Then she glanced up at her with her bright green eyes and then she remembered. She froze on the spot not knowing where to go but found herself accidentally bumping into a woman.

"Oh!"

Marianne took her by the arms as she helped her to her feet. "I am sorry!"

She waved her hand. "It's fine. I was just seeing my son off. Even though he doesn't know that I'm here..." She said giving her a tired smile.

Marianne looked her over and read her in a second. "First time away from home."

"Er...Yes." She said finally. "For the both of us."

Marianne nodded knowing how hard it was to let your children go. It was difficult to let them go. It wasn't fair that you had to let them go. Sometimes you had to though since it can be better if you do...

"It's hard not being able to go home..." She murmured.

Marianne nodded. "I see. Yeah, I heard some people got chucked out of their house because of the rise..."

"Oh no it was nothing like that." The woman said with a little chuckle. "Um...It was destroyed. Not only my house but my livelihood. I owned an inn."

Marianne felt herself go cold. It was her...She looked back at her and tried to see if she wasn't just jumping to conclusions. No. It was definitely her. She was so different now. She looked like Hell but she didn't blame her considering what she had been through in the last forty-eight hours. And she had a kid as well. Then again there was always scum passing through the Benbow Inn every now and then and was bound to get their claws on her at some point. Then again she always thought it would be her sister who would have gotten mixed up in that sort of thing. She didn't know what it was but she always seemed like she would be the type to attract the wrong kind of man. Never Sarah Hawkins. She had a no-nonsense attitude, that was how Marianne knew that she would like her if she ever had the chance to get to know her. She hadn't seen her in years so of course she was never going to be able to recognise her. She was bound to look different to when she was a ten year old girl. She could see that she didn't recognise her and to be honest she didn't blame her either. She was probably unrecognisable from her attire and from when she was no older than herself. She shifted from side and to side and looked down at the ground. She was now really self-conscious of the fact that she might recognise her at any moment.

Sarah laughed. "I'm sorry." She said rubbing her eyes. "You don't want to hear me babbling. You're a complete stranger..."

Marianne waved a hand. "No, no. Please. In fact, can I buy you a drink. You kind of look like you might need it."

Sarah hadn't had a drink in years. Even when she used to sell it she never drank any of it herself. She didn't have the time or resources to become an alcoholic despite all her problems...

She threw her hands in the air. "What the Hell! Why not?"

Marianne patted her on the back and led her to the nearest pub. "Don't worry, love. As my father says, there's nothing that can cure a small spell of depression like a good pint."


	3. Letting Go

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

A/N: R&R!

Letting Go

For **talkstoangels77**

Sarah groaned when she woke up the next morning. All she could remember from the night before was some dark haired woman called Mary or Anne, (she really hoped that wasn't her sister, the last and only time she got drunk with her was quite tragic and traumatic for Jim). Then there was two or three guys as well asking for her address but then there was some joke about the house on fire...Oh God.

"Why?" She moaned.

"Hey."

Sarah glanced up and saw the woman from the night before walking towards her with an embarrassed look on her face. She didn't look the slightest bit hungover...Unless she was feeling a little bit guilty for getting her drunk.

"Sorry about last night." She greeted handing her a glass of water.

Sarah waved a hand. "Don't worry about it. I've been needing to let my hair down for a number of years."

She couldn't remember the last time she had fun or when she didn't have to think about the bills, whether Jim was getting in trouble with the law or with school. That was all she ever did. She just worried because there was no one else to worry about her or any of things she was thinking about. Jim certainly wasn't going to take over that job for her. He was like his father and always thinking about the present rather than the future. Whereas she was always thinking about the future. She had to think about otherwise why was she still running the Benbow Inn. She might as well be doing something else with her life if she didn't see anything of a future in that place. She knew that from the moment she first walked through it. The funny thing was that the girl who was there before looked like she never wanted to leave it behind her. Her mother had died and she couldn't run it herself with her sister so she sold it to Sarah's father. She could never forget about that girl for some reason...

When she was drunk she didn't think about those things. She didn't need to. She just had to think about how many elephants were walking on the ceiling. It was a bit disturbing when she thought about it. She didn't even want to think about what Jim got up to when he was drunk. He came back home that way once but had a terrible hangover the next morning. Thankfully she had enough experience of it to know that purb juice was always the best hangover cure. In fact it was the one time when she didn't get made at him considering she thought she owed him for that one time when she did get drunk right in front of him. It was Anne's fault for it all happening but still. She also remembered what it was like to be a teenager. At least he wasn't knocking anyone up yet. His father was well on his way when he was about his age and he hasn't brought home a girlfriend yet so...That was always her saving grace. He spent more time with his solar glider than with a girl which could perhaps be good if she was positive influence on him but then again she didn't want him repeating the same mistakes she made when she was about his age. It wasn't something to be indulged but alcohol was good for drowning away the things people didn't want to think about.

Whenever she had an excessive amount, not only did she lose all sense of control over her motor functions she lost all control over those things she was always constantly thinking about. She didn't have to think about the fact that her husband had walked out on her and was never going to come back. People would have thought that it was better for her to let him go. But it was still hard when there was a time when you once thought that he was someone who wanted to spend the rest of their lives with you. There was no divorce or death in space. Nothing. She would have settled with that but he just walked out on her and Jim. It made her feel like there was nothing about her which was worth fighting for or even worth staying for. She was still forever connected to him but he didn't want to have any of that any more. The last time she actually got drunk was when he walked out on her with her sister. That was, she resolved the morning after, the last time she was going to drunk only now she had broken that promise to herself. But she had actually remembered how much fun it was to just let yourself go. It made her feel like air when she was a little girl, before they lived at the Benbow Inn she would go up to the room of the house where they rented a room and she would stretch up her arms and feel like she was riding the wind. That was why she liked Leland so much. He loved the sky as much as she did.

Marianne suppressed a laugh. "You're preaching to the choir sister."

Sarah drank the whole thing down in one gulp and handed it back to Marianne. She gave her a scrutinizing look and smiled.

"Do you have any kids?"

Marianne stared back at her and didn't answer her for long enough for it to be considered a '_yes-but-I-don't-want-to-talk-about-it'._

"How old are they?" She asked.

Marianne shook her head. "Not very old. Should be around...ten about now. I don't know..."

Sarah frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I gave her up." She answered uneasily.

She couldn't believe she was being so honest with this total stranger. Well she wasn't a total stranger. She just couldn't remember her.

"She...She deserved a better life than the one than the one I could have given her."

Sarah smiled sadly. She knew she had to feel sorry for a woman who thought that she could never give enough to her daughter, even though she wished that she would be able to live every moment she could with her. Sarah thought before Jim left that if she was thinking about him at the same moment he was then maybe they could be together. They could pretend that they weren't galaxies apart. Maybe she could do that too...

~ (***) ~

It was a few days before Jim came when the letter arrived. She was beginning to forget the name of the woman who took her out for a drink. Then she would remember it was Marianne. Sometimes she got mixed up and thought it was either Mary or Anne but then would go to Mary because she already knew an Anne. She had finished cleaning the library and the study which were the biggest jobs and was now going through the bedrooms when one of the few servants he had coming to deliver a letter to her. She told them to put it in the study thinking it was for Delbert but was told that a woman came stating that he should put it in her hand. She didn't know how they knew she was staying with Delbert. It was something which was always going to mystify her for a bit. She didn't know how they knew her or why they were doing this. She knew she couldn't very well send a thank you note but when things like this happened you had to wonder why it was happening to you and what you did to make people do things like this. It wasn't like miracles happened every day, to people like her anyway.

She ripped open the letter only to find what seemed like millions of bank notes falling like confetti. She picked them up hurriedly and after neatly putting them back together she glanced at the letter.

_Dear Mrs Hawkins, _

_I hope I find you well, the last time we spoke I recall you were not exactly in the best of spirits. At least not the morning after our celebrations, as we could put it. I hope this is enough to pay back for the damages made for your inn. It has been something which has greatly concerned me since our last inn and I hope it is enough to make up for the things which have passed between us which I wish to make up for (including the predicaments experienced the morning after the event which I was referring to earlier). Or at least I hope it will be enough to build a bigger inn that it was before. Sorry about that by the way, we did not exactly leave it in a great condition when your father bought it off our hands. We should have probably done more maintenance on it. Anyway, I hope this enough to repay you for everything that has happened. I was not responsible for the fire but I know that there was something I could have done on your behalf since I am familiar with the man who is responsible and all I can do is apologise yet again for all of this. I wish you well. _

Sarah frowned and tried to find a name but saw that it wasn't signed. Wasn't that something? She re-read the letter to see if there was anything which might hint at their identity. She was never really that great at puzzles if she was honest. It took her while sometimes to realise a man was flirting with her...Unless she was drunk and she was already doing that herself. Then the first few lines about their 'last meeting' finally set it up in neon lights. Marianne. But what did she mean she knew the pirate who burnt down the house? She didn't come across as someone who knew pirates but then there was something about her mentioning that she sold the Benbow Inn to her father...Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth as she gasped. It was _her_. She was the daughter of the woman...She always thought that there was something familiar about her. She remembered that one time when they met and there was something of a connection there or something. She was like a best friend she never had. Someone who could be braver than her but at the same time could encourage her to be a little braver too...

~ (***) ~

Marianne ran a finger over the rim of her glass while she waited for her father. It had been a while since she last saw him. Since he left for the voyage in fact and she could still feel that there was something which needed to be resolved between the two of them. It hadn't been years but it was something which wasn't worth leaving for a number of years until they spoke about it. She didn't know whether she was going to be able to forgive him for all that he had done. Not just to her but also to Murat and their sister. Sarah. He hadn't exactly been number one citizen of the year let alone Dad of the decade either. She knew she was as bad as him considering they were both pirates but she had never crossed the line like he had been doing recently. Some people would have told her that she was in her own rights to never speak to him again. Still, he was her father he needed her to at least talk to him about what she was thinking. She at least owed him that...

"Marianne?"

She turned around and there he was, a few feet away from her. Before she could say anything to him he walked over to her faster than she had ever seen him walk since his operation and hugged her tightly.

"I'm glad to see ya, love."

She blinked for a moment but was finally brought back into the galaxy again. Something had happened. Something had changed him. She thought that she would be frightened by something like this but she didn't want to be too quick to judge. They just got back together again and she didn't want to mess it up like she usually did. If she thought about it she was always the one to kick start an argument between the both of them.

She patted him on the back. "Me too. How was the voyage? Did you get your wins?" She teased

He cocked his head to the side. "Not exactly. It was real, Marianne but...It was booby trapped. Most of it went to ashes in the end but I was able to snatch a little. I gave it away though..."

She frowned. "What? Dad, you been talking about this for years what made you...?"

"I changed while I was away, love. I met a lad whose mother owned the inn. I felt that he deserved it more than I did. He had a life, I'm just an aimless wanderer."

She smiled. Something really had happened to him and for the better. Whoever this kid, Jim was he was a little miracle maker. She always thought that he was just a lost cause. It would be hypocritical for her to try and change him completely but for years he had been obsessed with chasing this dream of his and now he was finally about to let it go. And so was she.

She took his hand. "Join the club."

_4 years later..._

Xavier walked out onto the deck to see how everything was doing. He remembered when he first graduated the first voyage the Captain spent more of his time in his cabin than with the crew and making sure everything was going smoothly. Then there was another who truly showed him how to be a good Captain. Then again he liked to think he was able to figure that out on his own. He was a tall man of great integrity and he taught him more about how to be a good Captain than all those years at the Academy. There was a good, strong breeze and there were clear skies. This was going to be an easy voyage...

"Morning Captain."

Xavier turned to see the ship's doctor meekly walking over to him with a coffee in hand. He offered one to him knowing it was the time of day when he took his coffee and how he took it after just a few days. When he mentioned that he had a good memory he wasn't kidding...

"Thank you, Nicolas. How are your wife and daughter?"

Even though some people thought that a ship was only a place for men Xavier had to admit that he kind of like the company of women aboard the ship at the moment. It made him feel like he hadn't left home. Helen was quiet, studious and rarely joyous just like his daughter and Georgiana was so helpful and generous just like...He wished he was able to say his wife but actually she reminded him more of Gina. It was cruel to have one love after even two at the same time but Gina made it easier for him to deal with his wife's death. Their relationship reminded somewhat of secret but he was sure from time to time that maybe the rest of the servants and even his family were aware of it. Although it was better not to make presumptions when nothing was spoken of. Along with his more than efficient level of expertise, Nicolas also brought along his wife and daughter, Georgiana and Helen. He was slightly bending the laws by bringing his daughter aboard the ship but there was no one to take their daughter in. They had no family to speak of and that was all because...traditional values. He remembered when he saw him there begging him to help them he knew that he would never live it down if he didn't. He had heard about Nicolas Arkwright and knew that they had been dealt with monstrously.

The doctor shrugged. "My family are always glad to be with one another. Even if we can't afford to be apart we consider it a blessing. I've always wanted to thank you for making it easier for us. I know the law states no one under the age-"

Xavier held up a hand. "I know, Nicolas. There was nothing to be done. I understand."

He thought of his daughter and of the times when she used to beg him to let her come on his voyages with him. If he could he would have brought her with him gladly. Although that would have to wait and her spirits were still low from the death of her mother...

Nicolas turned back to his coffee and ran a finger over the rim. "All because we married for love..."

Xavier turned to him and eyed the expression on his face. He remembered when he first met his wife, Georgiana. There was something about her which made one know instantly that she was born from the elite but when you knew her for who she was she was far from all those airs and graces. With the way she looked at her husband one knew that they loved one another and would travel across the galaxy to be with one another. Xavier knew more than anyone how difficult that was to come by.

Xavier sighed and clapped him on the back. "Well, Nicolas. I hope you will be happy to know that I cannot abide such things. I see no point in them any more. The world is changing too quickly to be so set in the old ways. We should just been allowed to live as we wish...Within reason." He added quickly making Nicholas laugh.

"Hear, hear."

~ (***) ~

Her father had informed her after his seventh voyage since the death of her mother that there would be another death that would enter into their lives. There was a ships doctor, Nicholas Arkwright who her father described as an intelligent scholar but as a man he was kind and courageous. He was a man her father had come to respect highly and the two men became fast friends over the duration of the voyage. In all the letters that he sent them there wasn't one where Nicholas wasn't mentioned. However this doctor was also very poor and couldn't afford to keep up some money for he, his wife and daughter to live while he was away, so they always accompanied him of his journeys, considering that he didn't have enough money to spare for them while he was away. Georgiana Arkwright was a wonderful woman. Warm, kind and noble. She was born from a wealthy family and abandoned her wealth and privileges to be with a man she loved not one out of power and money. Their daughter, Helen was a quiet little thing. She was shy but always eager to help her father and to learn of the knowledge he had to offer. It was evident to her father that she had the thirst for knowledge that she had inherited from her father. During the voyage there had been an outbreak of disease and Dr Arkwright had no choice but to attend to the sailors considering that it was his job.

However due to the amount of exposure and despite the precautions he fell ill. Xavier had warned him against it and told him that he should let some of the other patients after they had recovered to perhaps help him. Although he didn't listen and soon met his long, painful death. His wife soon fell ill and within days of each other they died. Now the only Arkwright left was their daughter and she didn't have a soul in the world to care for her. Cassandra's father took it as his duty as a friend to settle the matters of Helen guardianship. She was a good child from good parents and she deserved to have a good life, despite the fact that she wasn't dealt so well with luck. He knew her father's family were all dead and so it was only left of her mother's to take up that role. Although when he thought of that he wasn't very sure whether they would be able to fulfil that role very well considering what he had been told by both Nicholas and Georgiana. Nevertheless, he wrote a letter to them informing them of the situation and the answer he received was curt and impersonal. Nothing which he would have expected from such a family. He knew that he would be betraying his friend if he allowed them to make such a life for her. He acted quickly and impulsively and wrote to them informing them of her death. So that there would be no reason for them to pursue her as they would believe that she no longer lived.

He decided that the only person who would raise Helen Arkwright would be him. She took one look and knew that if that was the only option his daughters had he would rather they were sent to an orphanage if that was what the only family which was left was like. As she waited Cassandra wondered what sort of girl she would be. Her father told her that she would be quiet and inquisitive, just like her, apparently. She wasn't sure whether this was a compliment or not. He even made the presumption in the letter that she and Helen would get along instantly due to their similar personalities. This was something which somewhat unsettled Cassandra. She wasn't offended by her fathers observations of her own character but she was always afraid of making presumptions. She heard horse hooves approaching down the path down to house. Her head snapped in the direction of the window and saw a black carriage gliding towards the house. She froze in her position absolutely petrified by what was to come. She could even face the hounds of hell and be afraid however would still have the will to battle with them. Gina opened the door which gave her such a fright she jumped up from her seat, waiting for her cue to greet her new sister. Her nursemaid rolled her eyes and took her by the arm.

"Come, Miss. It's time to greet your father on his return and your new sister." She replied, navigating her out of the lounge.

Cassandra sighed but complied nonetheless. She wasn't going to be unpleasant to the girl. She had just lost her parents, at least she had a father left. She took her through the corridor and onto the steps outside the front entrance. When she stepped outside everything seemed to cave in on her. There was something out there, something which frightened her. Something that was going to change. She didn't know how she got the feeling but it was making her shake all over. The wind was bitter cold but Cassandra nonetheless stood there still and unaffected by the weather. The carriage came to a halt in front of them and eventually her father and small girl emerged out of the carriage. Cassandra's eyes immediately laid onto the new arrival. The girl had golden blonde curl which framed her oval shaped face with features which were not extraordinary but were soft and pleasant. Cassandra wasn't a pretty girl but neither was she plain or ugly. She had a skinny frame which hinted at her previous malnourished diet. She looked up at the large, intimidating mansion feeling rather frightened.

Cassandra smiled grimly and held out a hand. "Hello. I'm Cassandra."

The girl stepped back and seemed to hesitate. It was as if she never had any luck with conversing with those outside her family. She turned to Cassandra's father who gave her an encouraging nod.

"Greet your new sister, Helen."

Helen turned back to Cassandra who gingerly took her hand and shook it awkwardly. "It's lovely to meet you." She almost whispered.

"It's a pleasure to meet you also." Cassandra replied soberly.

She turned round and re-entered the domain to allow her entry into the house and waited by the stairs to receive her orders.

~ (***) ~

Marianne was walking through the streets minding her own business when she heard a shrill voice from the distance. When she heard her she froze on the spot knowing who it was. Some people sometimes made mistakes but it was always difficult to make a mistake when it comes to Katherina. Or Kathy as she remembered her. She refused to be called by her full name on the account that it made her think of her Grandmother.

"I thought it was you." She greeted breathlessly.

Marianne took in a deep breath. You had to when it came to it came to her. She was as mad as a hatter and an eccentric one at that. From what she could recall about her was that she could give a man a single look and he would die at her feet then and there. If need be she was more than happy to please a man...

"Well," She raised her eyebrows. "Looks like you were right."

Sometimes she wondered how everyone else had put up with Kathy. Sometimes she just sucked all the energy out of you by just talking to you for about a minute. She didn't know what it was, she was just filled with energy. She wouldn't be surprised if that was all she was made up of.

"Of course I was right, its me Marianne." She linked her arm through hers. "So tell me, how have you been since the war ended? It's been almost fifteen years and I haven't heard so much as a peep out of you. Not even a letter and I hate letters."

Marianne gave her a look and then found there was a smile on her face and before she knew it they were both laughing like schoolgirls. It reminded her of the old days when they were working together. Even when the war was on it was never impossible to lose your spirits. It was easy, in fact, to find a way to cope if you had friends by your side to keep you stable. That, and other relationships such as your family or people you found to love you, even for a moment. It was just relationships really. That was what kept you going. She didn't know where she would have been without her friends, her father, her sister or even-She couldn't bare to think of him sometimes but she wasn't going to deny the fact that he partially helped her get through the war. Kathy hadn't changed a bit and if she was honest, she was all the better for it. She liked the fact that she never cowered in a dark corner. Or was sobbing in her bed whenever someone died. She remembered that she always admired her for that at least.

"I...Well...Isn't it obvious?" She laughed.

Kathy frowned at her for a moment, looked her up and down and then suddenly it sunk in. She thought it would have taken her less time than that. She had always been a talented mind reader...

"Marianne...You didn't! Oh my...I can't believe it. You're being more devious than I am. I know being a mistress is socially frowned upon but you're breaking the law. Then again we were more like peas in a pod than you and your sister. How is she by the way?"

Marianne felt herself go cold. She found herself shaking and unable to breathe. She thought that she might collapse then and there in the street. She could see why her father was so uneasy when her sister was mentioned. It was so hard to hear it being said out loud. Had no one told her? Did she not know what happened to her sister? Did she even bother to ask her what had happened?

"Darling, you look positively pale what is the matter?" She demanded.

She didn't know how she was going to tell her. Kathy and she were never really close but then again she was the one who introduced them. She still cared about her sister as much as she did. She knew her longer but...She just couldn't believe that she hadn't run into someone else. If so, she couldn't believe that they hadn't mentioned anything to her. It was just monstrous. It was like it didn't matter whether she was alive or not.

"I...Did you not hear, Kathy? After you were transferred...Kathy she's dead."

~ (***) ~

"Cassandra, I hope you don't mind but I was wondering if Helen may sleep with you in your room. I was thinking you were getting a bit old for Gina to look after you and Victoria is in more need of her than you. I hope you understand."

Cassandra spun round and led her up the stairs. After they had gotten out of earshot of her father Cassandra decided to talk to her.

"My father told me of the death of your parents, may I give you my condolences?"

The girl, Helen looked up and nodded silently. She didn't blame her for being so quiet. She was when her mother died. She had lost both her parents now. She stopped for a moment and actually thought about that. She wondered what it would be like to lose both her parents. She would find it devastating to have to face that. It made her think about the fact that other people could mourn as well. Couldn't they...?

Helen looked away uncomfortably and licked her lips. "Thank you. Your father mentioned the death of your mother. That you still...I am sorry."

Cassandra turned around and looked at her. She narrowed her eyes and took a step towards her. She knew what she was going to say. Or what she was trying to say. People thought she wasn't aware of what they thought of her but the expressions on their faces made it as plain as day. She didn't know why she was still so sad about it all. She just couldn't find a way to not be sad about her mother passing. It was like she had a hole inside her and she would only be able to be happy again unless she found a way to fill it up again.

Cassandra looked away and sighed. "Thank you, but I cannot even imagine the pain of losing both parents in so little time."

"I suppose...you just cope." She replied uncertainly.

Something about her words almost felt like she was singing to her heart in a way. It was like she knew what it was like to be her. She knew the pain which she felt and she knew that the only way to face it was to, as she put it, deal with it. However when she looked at her she was saying something else. She was telling her that she had to do more than just deal with it. She was telling her something else. That terrible secret that no one else would dare to tell her...

Cassandra nodded. "Quite right. You just cope. Well here it is."

She opened the door and brought up into a room where there were two beds only a few feet apart on both sides of the room with two bedside tables separating them. The walls were painted a pale lilac which had lost its colour due to neglect. There was a chest of drawers which was used by Gina which would now be used by Helen and a wardrobe for Cassandra. However Cassandra knew she would feel guilty so decided she would offer Helen to make use of the wardrobe for dresses. There was a small bookshelf with a few books which Cassandra had read or was planning to read. There was some which she would take from her father's library filled with mysteries of the universe and stories of adventures into that wide, open sky. There was a pair of heavy, velvet midnight blue curtains hanging at either side of the window which overlooked the garden. Helen drifted over to the window and looked out. Cassandra watched her for a moment yet again and thought that she was having some out of body experience. She felt like she was watching herself on the morning of her mother's funeral. She remembered Fredrick being terrified of her. The more she looked at her the more she didn't blame her.

"You have a beautiful view." Helen commented. "Do you take walks?"

Cassandra nodded. "Very often. I quite enjoy admiring the world around me."

She stood close beside her and looked out the window with her. She had to admit that there was some truth in that. It made her forget that her mother but it also reminded her of her as well. It didn't make her feel like so much of a ghost. People thought that she didn't know. It was not too painful going to think of her mother and she felt no guilt in allowing her memory to slip from her mind for even a moment while she was there.

"Helen may I ask how old you are?"

"Thirteen." She replied.

She smiled. Only thirteen. Almost the same age as her. She glanced at her again and thought on that for a moment. She would never have thought her being thirteen. She looked like she had aged over night from all that she had been through...

~ (***) ~

Kathy sat there for a long time silently as she smoked a cigarette. She wasn't even aware that she was crying. Marianne thought of pointing it out or giving something to dry her eyes with but she decided against it. Kathy, like her didn't like giving into her emotions and she hated it more when people pointed it out or made it known that they knew how you were feeling. When she felt like that she wanted to be left alone or at least left alone with her grief. She didn't want anyone else's pity nor did she want to watch someone else mourn. It just made her angry. She was just going to be patient. She took a cigarette off Kathy and had one of her own as she waited for it all to sink in. She couldn't say a thing and Marianne would be in the same position if it was her as well. She would be distraught. She would have run off and gave some terrible excuse and got to deal with her grief by herself. She thought it took a lot of guts to drag someone else into it. Kathy dragged her into it so much she took her back to her apartment to keep her together before her daughter came home. If she had thought about her friend being safe and out there in the universe somewhere living their life it was almost like a security blanket. You at least knew that she was safe. Now this bomb shell was dropped onto all those beliefs and you didn't know what to do.

"So...how did it happen?" She asked finally.

Her voice was as low and quiet as death. She could still hear a sob in the back of her throat stifling her words.

"There was a bombing. After that we were all relocated. Um...Although I didn't go back to the nursing. I couldn't really face it again."

Kathy nodded. "Of course. Of course you couldn't."

There was a look of her face saying that she understood partly but then there was something else she wanted to ask her. She wanted to ask why she went there. Why she went as far as breaking the law.

"I...I don't want you to think any less of me for my decision. I...I can't really explain why I got myself into it and I suppose there's no going back either."

There was a distracted look on Kathy's face. "Go back to what?"

There was a sound at the door opening and closing. Kathy jumped at he sound as if it was another bomb going off and jumped to her feet brushing over her clothes, looking to Marianne with a panicked expression on her face.

"Selina! Selina this is an old friend of Mummy's. From the days when I worked as a nurse." She greeted. "Marianne, this is my daughter, Selina."

Marianne looked the red-headed girl up and down. She was every inch of her mother, except for the hair which she was sure her mother absolutely loved.

She got to her feet. "A pleasure to meet you, Selina."

~ (***) ~

They were silent again, they were both struggling to find something to say. Cassandra took a hesitant glance up at the girl who looked around the room and for some reason felt whenever she looked into her face she felt like she was looking into a mirror. Cassandra who knew that it would bring pandemonium into their home is she protested still felt like it was too soon to have to sleep in the same room as someone else. It seemed so intimate. She still felt like she was child that still needed her mother which had been a role taken by that of Gina. Now that was something that was snatched away by both the arrival of Helen and Victoria. Cassandra was still uncertain of Helen. She seemed, like her father said, quite similar to her in character however perhaps a little less confident than she. However that may be a result of her parents death. Gina tucked them both in giving them both a kiss on the head, closing the door gently behind her. She still left the candle on, knowing that it would unsettle the new addition to the family if she did not. She stared the wall willing herself to sleep however knew after plunging deep into the night that this would be impossible. Helen stared up at the ceiling wondering how life had brought her here.

"Helen?" Cassandra whispered.

The words whistled out between her lips before even thinking about it. She hoped that her words would flutter out into the night and disappear, forgotten or ignored. However a moment later she heard another little voice in the dark.

"Yes?"

"I was checking if you were awake. I guess you can't sleep."

"No."

Cassandra fidgeted in her bed. She felt so awkward asking such a pointless and silly question. She just...She wanted to make sure that she was still there.

"Are you thinking about your parents?" She asked hesitantly.

"Yes...Well no. I'm thinking about a lot of things, but mostly things. Why can't you sleep?"

Cassandra stretched out her legs and turned her head from side to side. She had given up on sleep a long time ago. She couldn't remember the last time she slept. It was because when she dreamt she had nightmares. Whenever she slept she always dreamt about all that blood. She saw herself with blood dripping down her legs and something eating out from the inside of her stomach.

Cassandra shook her head. "I never sleep. I can't sleep, mostly. Whenever I do I see her."

Helen frowned up at the ceiling. "Who?"

Cassandra finally sat up knowing that she was never going to get to sleep. She glanced over at her new sister and gave her a look as if to say that she should know the answer to that question. It felt strange calling her sister. It was like there was sandpaper in her mouth. There wasn't anything natural about the way that she said it.

"My mother." She answered.

"Would you not be happy to see your mother?"

Cassandra sighed and laid down on her back again and faced the wall. She reached out and touched the wall as if to reassure herself it wasn't voidless darkness. She didn't like staring into it, it made her feel like there was something there, watching her, waiting to jump out and eat her.

"I guess. But when I dream of her I dream of the night she died. She died in childbirth."

"Yes, your father told me."

Helen rolled over and leaned her head against her hand and looked over at Cassandra's back. She couldn't tell what she was thinking. She was tensing up a bit which could suggest that she was talking about something which wasn't exactly pleasant for her to talk about. She didn't blame her, she didn't like the idea of talking about her parents.

"Cassandra? Are you still mourning your mother?"

Cassandra gripped onto her blanket trying not to cry. She didn't want to give into this. She had never cried for her mother but she wasn't going to. She couldn't...After a long pause which she thought would go on beyond the night she finally answered.

"Yes and I think I always will."

"Why?"

"Because I miss her." Cassandra replied, a sob threatening to escape from her throat. "I don't want to be where she is not."

"You can never die at the same time as another person. You can never enter the next life holding another's hand. It's something you have to do alone."

She had enough of this. She had enough of her. Why was she here? What gave her the right to be here? She knew she had no right but why did her father bring her here? What made him think that she could come here and be part of their family?

"But why Helen?" She cried. "Why should I accept this?"

She jumped up from her bed, hot tears streaming down her face. Her face was burning with fury and with the ferocity of inner turmoil and conflicting emotions colliding. She was struggling to breath in between her sobs. She afraid that she would simply die for being unable to breath, it was what she had always wanted but now that she had been brought to deaths door she didn't. She wanted to live. She had had all these emotions swirling up inside her without having any chance of escaping. Helen sat up, staring at the once sober, emotionless but polite girl now immersed in a passion of despair. Of all the things that she knew to expect from this girl such an expression of emotion wasn't one of them. She was powerless as to what she should do and did the only thing that came natural. She slide off the bed and wrapped her arms around her. She consoled her.

"There is a part of nature which is painful but necessary in order for it to continue. For there to be life there but be death. This is something you have to accept because it is an important part of it. I'm sure you're mother loves you very much but you have to let her go. For both your sakes."

Cassandra was shaking like a leaf in the wind as she rested in her arms. She felt like a baby crying like this but she supposed that the last time she cried like this or cried at all was when she was a child or even baby.

"But how can I...How can I...forgive her?"


	4. Her Little Angel

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

A/N: R&R!

Also I made a few changes on the past chapters but its nothing major its just an age change on Cassandra since a reader who I will not name (unless the person in question would not be offended but just in case. Personally, I'm thrilled someone is taking such an interest and concern in my story and I thank them sincerely for their advice) who very rightly were giving me some constructive criticism and were a bit meh of the age gap between Cassandra and Jim so I raised her age a wee bit by five years. So in other words at the beginning of the story when her mother dies she's now nine instead of four.

Her Little Angel

For **SmileyMe01**

Gina laid close to Xavier as his chest heaved up and down steadily. Her hair was splayed across his face and was tempted to draw it away from his eyes but she was afraid of disturbing him. She didn't want to wake him. He said he had just closed his eyes for a moment. He had just come back from a voyage so he was a little tired but he still yearned to be with her again considering the amount of time they had been away from one another. Although a moment had turned into twenty minutes but she was going to be honest. She liked just lying there for a while. She enjoyed dwelling in the silence. She liked lying there in the silence for just a moment. She enjoyed his company but sometimes she just liked being there. Sometimes it was nice for them to just lie there and not make a sound. Not do anything. It made her feel like they were actually married to one another. That was a nice thought but she knew it could never be. It made her feel safe thinking that she was the only one in the world because of that but because she could feel the heat of another against her skin she knew she wasn't alone.

As she laid there she began to think about Cassandra. It was strange, to think that she was lying in bed with her master and all she could think about was his daughter. She had became a little sister to her, or maybe even a daughter...She never dared to admit this to her since she knew how much the memory of her mother meant to her. It meant enough to her for Gina to know that she would never be able to admit this to her since in her eyes no one could replace her mother. Yet, she couldn't help but be concerned about her. Especially about earlier that evening. She had such a strange look on her face when she tucked her into bed. She looked over at Helen as if...She didn't want to hurt her. No. That wasn't it. Helen wasn't in any danger. Cassandra was. She looked at her as if she was afraid of her. She knew there was something about that girl which carried something which could be her salvation as much as it could be her demise. There was something about the girl which almost seemed to light up the mansion and Cassandra was fighting against it. She still wanted to dwell in her darkness because she had been in there for so long that it was something which made her feel safe. It became all she knew. She didn't believe she should be happy again. She thought it would be like she was forgetting her mother. Her mother would just want her to be happy. That was all she ever wanted for her.

She turned to Xavier who was still asleep. She smiled and stroked his cheek. He was still sleeping. A moment later he snorted in his sleep and began to snore. She pressed the duvet to her mouth to stop herself from laughing. He had never done that before but usually they had spent the entire night drowning themselves in ecstasy that even she was so tired that she fell into a deep sleep when they were finished. She tilted her head and ran her fingers through his hair. He was beginning to get some grey hairs, which was no surprise considering that he was getting rather old. Fredrick was eighteen now.

"Goodnight, my love." She whispered and closed her eyes.

She allowed slumber to pull her into its realm at the same moment Xavier resurfaced and found a slumbering young woman in his arms. He rested his head against the pillow and watched her sleep for long to know that she would not wake up until morning. He stroked her hair which looked golden in the half light. He remembered the first day he saw her. She was just a servant to him but there was something about that smile of hers. It was kind. Not so many people had kind smiles. Some people had nice smiles, pleasant smiles. But very few of them could be considered to be able to make someone feel safe.

"Goodnight, my angel."

~ (***) ~

Jim sat there watching the little ones bicker with a smile on his face. He had been an only child so he would never know what it was like to know what it was like to have that. In fact it got pretty lonely growing up. Doppler said it was difficult controlling them all which Jim found hard to believe with a wife like his own. There was a look in one of the girls eyes. It made him think of that little girl he met four years ago. She must have been thirteen or fourteen by now. Strange, she would start looking like a woman now and he left her a little girl. Sarah Hawkins saw the frown on her sons face and walked towards him.

"Honey?"

Jim felt someone shake his shoulder and glanced up to see who it was. He met a pair of blue eyes which resembled his own and two steaming hot chocolates.

He blinked. "Yeah?"

"You look like you were off on the other side of the universe."

She could say that. He was more at wherever that girl was. What was her name...Claire? Clarissa? Cassandra. That was it. Cassandra.

He grinned. "Sorry. I was thinking about someone."

He was wondering what she was doing at the moment. Whether she had gotten over the passing of her mother, whether she was happy, whether she was thinking about him. He didn't understand why, it was like she was a little sister to him but he couldn't understand why it only took a few minutes to make him think about her after all this time.

"Hm? Is a girl?"

He looked at her and rolled his eyes. _I swear, I think she can read people's minds. That or I'm making it all too obvious..._

He nodded. "Yeah...Not that kind of girl, Mom."

"Oh." She replied sounding disappointed. "Well you know, I would like to know that there is someone-"

"Okay, Mom."

He knew where she was going to go with this and to be honest, he didn't want to go there. It was all very flattering and very nice but ever since he started going to the Interstellar Academy every started throwing their daughters in his face when he walked through the door. Yet again the attention was flattering but that wasn't something that was on his mind at the moment and if you liked someone you knew it. They weren't thrown in your face.

"You know I have some friends with daughters-"

Jim wanted to groan out loud but he knew he had to restrain himself. His mother had been doing this for a little while now and if it wasn't any worse every time he came home his mothers friends were shoving them in his face.

"Seriously, Mom."

She giggled. "Okay." She kissed his forehead. "Just looking out for ya."

He suppressed a laugh. How many times had he heard that line before. His friends from the Academy were always trying to set them up with a friends friend, or a cousin, or another girl in their class or a friend of someone they liked. It was endless. People just couldn't get it into their heads that he just wasn't interested at the moment.

"I think I'll be okay. Thanks, Mom."

"I suppose you've got another twenty or so years to find someone. Although it would be nice to have some Grandchildren before I die. I mean-"

"You're still in your thirties, Mom."

"Thanks for reminding me, Honey. Still, Jim. You never I might drop down-"

"Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we drop the subject?"

~ (***) ~

Cassandra awoke the next morning from a dreamless sleep in the arms of Helen who had held her for the entire night. She looked down at her with her hair splayed across the pillow. She looked like a water nymph. Even though some would think her plain Cassandra could see there was something pretty about the little mouse. From the way that she was holding her she was sure that they would have looked like two lovers she read about in those epic poems, lying in one another's arms in those eternal sleeps after a tragic courtship. The morning sun was welcoming her to a new day through the curtains, she swore she could hear it knocking for her to let it in. There was a sense of a new age beginning that day which before she wouldn't have been able to fathom let alone expect of herself. Her world had always seemed so dark and gloomy and suddenly in an instant the world seemed to be brightened by hope. She felt something inside her light up as she thought about this. It was as if Helen had warded all those dark spirits from the land of the dead continuing to torment her for all these years just by simply curling herself around her in a protective embrace. She reached out to stroked her cheek with the edge of her finger. She felt a tingle down her arm and drew her hand away.

When she heard someone at the door she readjusted herself in Helen's arms and pretended that she was asleep. There wasn't enough time for her to go to her own bed and to be honest she didn't want to be ashamed. She wouldn't care if she was actually sleeping and they found her like this. Anyway, she didn't have enough time to run to her bed without being detected. She was also surprised that that the Little Miss was sleeping. For all these years she was always unable to sleep, it was almost a rarity to find her in her bed with her eyes closed for even a moment. She would either be sitting up by this point or staring out the window with the same blank, eerie expression on her face. She always read into the night for as long as Gina would allow her and she would rise as soon as the sun rose from the earth. She had stared at them for a long time wondering what had changed over the one night she was absent from this room. Cassandra always tried to distance herself from everyone even those who offered any form of comfort and affection. She left the room quietly to allow the girls a few more minutes of sleep. Doubtless the morning sunshine would eventually wake them up. Cassandra blinked at the blinding light and rubbed her eyes. The light of the world seemed to be crashing down on her once she had consented to her entrance not only into this house but also into this family.

She never felt like she had slept so much. She had forgotten what it felt like to wake up from a dream, even if you couldn't remember what happened in it. You only remembered the nightmares, but she didn't remember what she had dreamt the night before she she thought that boded well for her. She had forgotten how refreshing it could be. There was something revitalizing about having a full nights sleep and there was something familiarly comforting about sleeping in the arms of another. She had never consented Gina to do so, maybe it was something her mother did. It wasn't because she hated Gina for her affair with father it was more that, she couldn't bare anyone to hold her. She occasionally let her father hold her for a moment but then she couldn't take it anymore and slipped out of his grasp. Something that she had blacked out from her memory, which was something which she found quite surprising after trying to hold onto anything she could of her mother for the past four or five years. She turned to Helen and smiled. The beam of sunlight shone across her face like a bandage had been wrapped across her eye. The young girl had such a peaceful expression on her face for one that had lost so much in an instant. She brushed her fingers lightly through her hair affectionate and gazed at her for a while.

Eventually, she slipped out of the bed and of Helen's embrace, replacing the blanket over her so that she could rest a little more. Then she did something strange. She kissed her on the forehead. It was something which perhaps her mother would have done but she felt it only fair that she had looked after her the night before that she should look after her as well. After all, they were sisters now. After brushing her hair into a loose bun with a few strands loose she went to the wardrobe to find something to wear. She was about to reach out for the velvet black dress she usually wore and her fingers curled away from them and withdrew her hand. Her arm felt limp beside her body waiting for something to be picked but she wasn't sure what she wanted. Her eyes slowly wandered to a emerald green silk dress she had not worn in a while and slipped it over her head. She was afraid it wasn't going to fit after not wearing it for a while. The only other time she had worn it was when her father had it fitted at the tailors a couple of years ago in hope she would grow out of her mourning phase. His hopes just came a little too soon. He needed to give her more time, the reason why he was never able to get through to her was because he would never understand what it was like from her perspective. He was pressuring her too much to live again. She needed time to come to that point by herself.

She turned to Helen and tilted her head, smiling. She glided over to her bedside and shook her gently. Helen woke with a start with her eyes wandering about the room in confusion. Cassandra gave a little laugh.

"Helen." She whispered, not wanting to startled her. The girls eyes snapped to hers and suddenly was able to recollect everything.

"Cassandra. What time is it?" She moaned.

"Time for breakfast. Come on lets get you into something."

~ (***) ~

After getting her into a plain, grey cotton dress both Cassandra and Helen made their way downstairs to find her father reading the paper at the table waiting for their breakfast. She gave her another glance wishing that she had offered her one of her own dresses. She didn't meant to think that she looked like a door mouse in it but she felt that since they were sisters now that they should share things. It made her feel like they were making her out to be the poor relative. That never reflected well on the family or on herself. He glanced up from his paper to greet Helen and Cassandra only to quickly look back at Cassandra after noticing that she was not in a mourning dress but rather the dress her had bought her a couple of years ago. It took more than a moment for him to realise actually, making Cassandra hide her smile behind her hand. The look on his face was priceless. His gaze lingered for a little longer than should be expected but then again he hadn't seen his child in anything but black for almost five years and with such a peaceful and...cheerful expression on her face. It was amazing how a little bit of colour could change one's countenance. He glanced at Helen who caught his eye, he gave her a grateful smile and nodded affectionately in her direction.

"Well, my dears. How did you sleep?" He asked brightly.

Yet again, surprisingly it was Cassandra who answered. It was like a little imp or fairy jumped into her body. Or it was like her mother had never died.

"Very well. Thank you, Papa." She replied with a smile on her face. He drew back slightly and threw up his hands slightly.

"That is good. That is good. Oh, I received a letter from Fredrick, Cassandra. Your brother is returning home now that he has completed his studies. Now we just have to wait and see if he'll be accepted in the Interstellar Academy."

Cassandra nodded and glanced at Gina who was carrying an infant in her arms. Victoria. Cassandra gripped onto the arms of her chair and watched the child for a moment as Gina helped her with her breakfast. She noticed that she was no longer thinking her as an it any more but more of a her. She saw her four-and-a-half-year-old sister giggling happily in the woman's arms and gave a sad smile. One filled with regret and longing. Now that she had been able to let go of her mothers death she was able to see that the cause was not of her sisters doing. She had always thought her as an instrument of her mothers death rather than something that she left behind her to comfort those she loved. The young girl glanced in her direction and began to point as she turned to Gina. She surely recognised her as she knew who Cassandra was. She had lived with her for long enough to know who she was and probably noticed a change in her appearance as well. Cassandra knew it was time to put those emotions away and do what she was supposed to do as soon as she drew her first breath. As swiftly and with the ease of water she slipped from her seat and walked into the corridor. She walked toward Gina who noticed her approach long before she reached them. Once she was close enough she held out her arms.

"I'll hold her."

Gina stared at her, wondering whether she should believe her. She turned back to the younger girl who was reaching out to her sister. She noticed that she always did even in the days when she ignored or glared at her. She gently handed her over to Cassandra who looked down at her with such warmth and affection that she had not seen in a long time.


	5. Surprise!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Surprise!

For **grumpypirate**

_Two years later..._

Xavier Richardson knew what his eldest daughter's hearts desire was. If she didn't tell him with her mouth she certainly said it with her eyes. For so many years Captain Richardson had been unable to allow his daughter to accompany him on his voyages. Ever since she could walk she always begged her father to let her come along with him. All she could make do with was the stories which he brought back and was hardly anything. Some things were much more miraculous when you saw and experienced things yourself rather than having someone else tell you. He was not the sort of man to think that a woman should never step on board the ship however the laws stated that unless for political purposes anyone under the age of 15 were prohibited from stepping onto a ship. He could tell that Cassandra had his thirst for adventure and now for decades women had been trained to become Space Captains. Like her mother you could tell where the winds wanted to take her and her eyes were always were wandering beyond the horizon. She didn't want to be confined in a stuffy marriage or in a school room and Captain Richardson would never allow something like that to happen to any of his daughters. Victoria was too young to know what her dreams were and Helen knew that she wanted to follow in her late fathers footsteps and be a doctor. Things which were possible for them now and he was going to help them to the best of his abilities.

After a few months after her arrival Helen and Cassandra had become fast friends and as intimate as sisters should be. They both had so much in common it was no surprise. They both thirsted for knowledge, they weren't the type of girls who wanted to go to afternoon tea and would rather go running in the woods. Or more Cassandra running ahead, grasping Helen's wrist as she struggled to keep up with her. Victoria soon began to accompany them on their country walks to give Gina a few moments of relief. However these walks also deepened the relationship between the two sisters which had been long waited. For so many years Cassandra had rejected her younger sister. He knew that Victoria would always been associated with the death of her mother however Cassandra's hatred went further. Most fathers would've already intervened and spoke to her about this discomfort she was bringing into the household. It was best to let things occur naturally, he knew of his daughter's nature. She would eventually come around and let go of the grudge. He knew by far though that that was the longest grudge she had ever held. On some days the sun would shine so brightly their skin would almost seemed like glowing gold. Like little angels.

On the other hand, Cassandra and Helen were no longer little girls. The arrival of adolescence and approaching womanhood had very much changed them. Cassandra had now grown tall, taller than her mother was, she was still slightly shorter than Gina however the nursemaid had always been a tall woman. She had shed her puppy fat and was as slender as a ballerina and her dark hair now shone with the morning sun where is almost seemed like there was a halo hovering over her head. Her bright green eyes sparkled with more intensity than before. Helen, had finally grown up to be a rather pretty girl. She had golden blonde curls which shone brighter than Cassandra's hair and bounced every time she moved. Her bright blue eyes now seemed more violet than grey. Her skin which used to be pale is now a peachy colour. She wasn't slender or tall like Cassandra but she had curves which certain gave her a womanly figure.

Their personalities had changed some also. Helen was more confident than she was before, perhaps with the help of Cassandra to boost her self-esteem. She had grown to be more cheerful and less serious. Cassandra was more studious rather than running round the fields with all the time she had to spare and come back with muddy knees. An influence which no doubt came from Helen. Cassandra's temper was not what it used to be either. Once she had such a passionate temper which could frighten a whole pirate crew however know it seemed that maturity had sobered it. She was less hasty and impulsive than she once was. Sebastian, the butler came to deliver a message however remembered his manners and had to wait for the master to give permission for him to speak, which took him a few minutes as he was so absorbed with what was going on outside, it took him a while to notice Sebastian was actually there. In fact, when he noticed him from the corner of his eye he almost jumped.

"Sebastian, you almost startled me. What is it?" He chuckled.

"Sir, your guest is here. Mr Hawkins." He reminded him, when Master Richardson looked bewildered. When he remembered his eyes widened.

"Oh yes! Of course. Bring him in." Sebastian nodded and hurriedly went to fetch him.

Captain Richardson raised his eyebrows and turned back to the window. It took Sebastian only a few moments to return with the new graduate of the Interstellar Academy. When the twenty-one-year-old man entered the room Captain Richardson gave him his brightest smile.

"Mr Hawkins." He greeted stretching out his hand. "I'm glad you were able to make it."

James Hawkins chuckled. "Are you kidding? Every graduate would kill for an invitation. Anyone would move around their schedule."

Captain Richardson brushed these flatteries away. "Now lets have none of that today. I merely wanted to get to know you before the voyage." Xavier put his hands behind his back and smiled. "James Hawkins, as of now you are to be my second-mate on my voyage to the Coral galaxy. Congratulations, young man."

He held out his hand for him to shake, the gaping, young graduate accepted. "Thanks- I mean, thank you, sir. I won't let you down. I promise."

"I know, Spacer. Now I hope you're hungry because I've told my cooking staff to prepare a particularly special meal for a particularly special night. Unfortunately, James your promotion is not the only reason. You see those two young women out in the garden there?"

"The dark haired one is my daughter, the other is another I adopted when her father, a ship's doctor died about two years ago. My daughter, Cassandra had dreamed of nothing but going on a voyage since she was a toddler. She would always been gripped to her seat whenever I told her tales about my travels across the galaxy. She might even take it up as a profession one day. I can't really imagine her doing anything else. God forbid, sending her to those awful finishing schools. I was planning to take her on this voyage with me, now that's she old enough. Helen, the girl I adopted will be coming to keep her company. I hope you have no issues with this?"

He turned to James who was staring at Cassandra wondering where he had seen her before. He was usually really good with faces but this was really beginning to annoy him. He had never been to an event where women of her class would be present, so he wouldn't have met her there. Maybe when he was out somewhere? Xiaver raised his eyebrow suspiciously.

"No, sir."


	6. First Voyage

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

First Voyage

For **Shining Petals**

Cassandra glanced on occasion across the table at James Hawkins wondering whether she had seen him somewhere. She had never been to the Academy with her father so it certainly wasn't from there. Perhaps she had seen him on one of her walks? No, the places where she walked were too far out for him and probably wouldn't bother coming out that far for a walk. Maybe it was when she had once been out in town with Gina. Still, if he had this affect on her she surely would've remembered where she had met or seen him. It was infuriating her that she couldn't remember where they had met and even attempted to try to convince herself that she was mistaken. However he seemed so familiar it was undeniable that they had met before that day. Helen, who had noticed her sister's sudden interest in the first mate and glanced between the two who seemed to be exchanging glances when the other wasn't looking. Cassandra was never the type to swoon over any man who walked through the door, she hadn't done so far with the many young, handsome men their father brought home. In fact, she was the one who scolded Helen for doing so on the odd occasion. She then turned to Captain Richardson who was frowning at them for their behaviour. It was rather unusual for Cassandra to behave this way. He had been inviting graduates from the Academy for years now and she had never behaved this way before.

"Mr Hawkins." He began, which made Jim snap to attention. "Tell me about your family."

Jim cleared his throat, self-consciously glancing at the young woman across from him. "My mother runs an inn. The Benbow Inn and my father no longer lives with us."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. When did he pass?"

Jim stared at him for a moment and turned back to his food. "I'm not sure whether he's passed, sir. He walked out on my mother and I when I was young. So I'm not sure about his whereabouts or whether he's still living for that matter."

Captain Richardson shook his head. "It's shameful to hear that. He doesn't exactly sound like a responsible nor a respectable man. Unlike you, Hawkins. No, I know you to be a very different man."

Jim smiled. "Thank you, sir."

Xavier wiped his mouth with the napkin once he was finished and Gina came into to take the plates. He waited until she was finished to turn to his daughters.

"Now, my dears. As you know I'm to go out on a voyage to the Coral Galaxy which Hawkins will be serving as my first mate but that isn't the only thing we're celebrating this evening. Since you are now both of legal age you will be accompanying me also."

_A week later..._

Helen and Cassandra stepped off the transporter staring up at the open sky with space ships taking off into atmosphere. As she watched them launch off Cassandra felt as if her heart was soaring off with them. Since she had last came here the Montressor Spaceport seemed more bearable place to be. This day was brighter than the one which Cassandra had tried to forget. The day when she watched her father fly out into the sky without her, abandoning her and the memories of her mother. For her that wasn't a good day. Except for the young man she spoke to. For some reason, despite her coldness she felt some...happiness spark within her at a time when feeling that emotion was impossible. When he spoke to her everything seemed to be alright for just a moment. Now when she had returned she felt like anything was possible. She had never confided this to anyone but over the years she had been thinking about what she wanted to be in the future. She certainly didn't want to be one of those girls who went to a finishing school and sought a husband as soon as she stepped out the door. She was a free spirit not a canary to be confined to a cage. Instead she wanted to take the profession her father and brothers had taken. Ever since she was a little girl she dreamed of going with her father on his space voyages. She wanted to venture beyond the open sky which she always stared out at.

She looked around for her father and instead she came across James Hawkins. A split second later he seemed to feel her presence and nodded in her direction. She nodded back a bright smile creeping across her face. She was never one to notice men any more than she would notice the presence of a woman in the room but because James Hawkins was so familiar she suddenly grabbed her attention when he walked into her life again. The more she thought about the more she began to develop feelings she never had for another person. She found that his facial features had become somewhat appealing. His bright blue eyes sucked her into their deep pools. She thought about him more than any other person at the moment. Helen noticed her friends sudden changed demeanour once she saw what it was which had grabbed her attention, knowing what it was and chuckled to herself. She never thought that Cassandra would be the one to swoon over the first mate of her fathers ship. She could only imagine how awkward a situation that could turn out to be. She certainly didn't want to imagine what the consequences might be if it was taken any further since she had noticed that he was behaving in the same way.

Jim stepped towards the two young women. "Miss Arkwright. Miss Richardson. I'm glad you were able to make it here safely."

"Thank you, Mr Hawkins. We knew our father had to be here earlier and we didn't want to inconvenience him."

"Still, I would have been happy to come down and accompany you both here." He assured her. She met his gaze with a challenging glare.

"Mr Hawkins, we are both quite capable of looking after ourselves." She replied evenly. She narrowed her eyes and thought for a moment. "I remember you now." She murmured.

Jim leaned forward slightly. "I'm sorry?"

"I had a feeling I met you before and now I finally remember. I suppose you probably won't remember." She laughed breathlessly.

He shook his head. "No please."

"Well, when I was about nine years old, so about six years ago, I was waving my father off on another voyage. I suppose you noticed that I looked a little sad and you came and talked to me. I was going through a really bad phrase at the time and you made it a little bearable."

After she finished he blinked. "Really? Wait- you were the girl who had lost her mother. Well I'm glad that I help you with that."

She nodded and glanced round to Helen only to find that she was gone.

"Don't worry, Dr Dobler helped her onto the ship. I think they both got bored with us talking." She giggled.

"Oops. It was nice to talk to you again. And again."

"Why and again?"

"Well we talked 'again' at the dinner and now is the 'and again'." She explained. She walked past him leaving him there grinning. He hesitated and called over his shoulder.

"Is there going to be another again?"

She smiled to herself and turned round. "Maybe."

Jim smirked and went about his duties. As he walked away his shook his head having not known any woman like her save one. She was certainly had the right stuff for a Space Captain. By this point Cassandra had reached to the top of the ramp. Her heart thudded and her breaths quickened. She was now standing, for the first time, on her first ship. Something which she had dreamed about ever since she was a little girl. She inhaled the air deeply. It was so fresh, so pure. When she closed her eyes and craned her head back she felt the soft breeze brush against her skin and dance in her hair. She opened her eyes to see the wide sky staring down at her it was so immense, so large it almost seemed to be threatening to crash down upon her. But she was not afraid. She was going to go to meet her destiny and she knew that it was beyond the horizon. In the worlds which had not yet been discovered.


	7. The Ship's Launch

**Disclaimer: **I do own Treasure Planet

The Ship's Launch

For **Buzooka Zooka **

Cassandra ran out to the side of the ship to look out into the distance. There wasn't much to see other than what she could see from the dock but she saw something which resembled flying whales however she wouldn't be getting a better look at them until the ship had launched off again. She was about to climb up on the ropes but she heard a voice from behind her.

"I'd love to see you attempt climbing those in a dress." She looked over her shoulder to see Helen with her arms folded and a smirk on her face. Cassandra hurriedly jumped off and brushed her skirts. Helen narrowed her eyes. "Did you tell him you wanted to be a Space Captain or did you try to make it obvious for him?"

Cassandra shook her head. "No. I didn't really think about it really until recently. I even think he probably knew what I wanted to do before I did."

"I knew when I met you." Helen replied gently. "I knew you weren't going to be confined in corsets and housework for the rest of your life. You're too restless."

"And you're too studious." Cassandra accused mockingly, prodding her in the chest. "Hey did you get into the Medical Academy?"

"I haven't got the results back yet." Helen replied grimly. "They won't be there until after we come back."

Cassandra slapped her on the back. "You'll be fine. You studied like crazy."

Helen sighed. "I hope so. I hope your father still okay with paying for the..."

"Helen you of all people should know its okay by him."

"But your brother." Helen pressed, making Cassandra's expression go from hopeful to grim.

When George first met his new sister he welcomed her into the family with open arms and all the more when he discovered that she was the reason that Cassandra's once bright and happy demeanour had once again been restored. Fredrick on the other hand greeted her with the same indifference and coldness as he did to any other servant. Fredrick probably saw her as a money-hunger street brat which needed to be thrown out the doors. When the rest of the household welcomed her he stood alone in his opinions which made him hate Helen even more. Cassandra had always been a pleasing presence to him since her adventurous spirit had sobered. But since it had been restored she began to stand up to him, confronting about his feelings about Helen, which displeased him even more. He acted like he was the King of the castle when their fathers bed was still warm.

She shook her head. "Do not think of that. Father would never take his side of those sort of affairs. I don't think my father thinks much of Fredrick to be frank."

"But he is his son. His heir."

Cassandra nodded. "Yes, also one who is a pompous, arrogant fool who only values aristocracy, money and status. Its disgusting that he's his fathers son. I think he'll hate it even more that he's found a favourite above him." Nodding towards the first mate who had stepped on board.

Helen eyed her suspiciously. "It seems he's not the only one."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I am talking about." Helen teased. "You've had your eye on his since he stepped through the door."

"Don't be ridiculous. The only reason why I expressed an interest in him is because I met him before which we both recalled just today. Sorry about that by the way, we were just-"

"Deep in conversation." Helen breathlessly finished. Cassandra tilted her head and gave her look.

Helen laughed as a siren went off to warn the passengers and crew members that they were taking off.

"I'm going to my room. Are you coming?"

Cassandra shook her head. Helen shook her head and turned round to walk back to her room. Captain Richardson passed her by.

Just as the ship was about to launch off Cassandra felt her feet rise above the ground slightly fearing that she might be floating off into space she reached out to grab something only to have some wrap his strong arm around her shoulders to hold her in place. When she looked up she brushed her cheek against his medals and the rough material his jacket was made out of. She didn't care who is was, considering that it was a commanding officer and not a mere ship mate and clung onto him. She found the sensation of flying a little bit exhilarating however the thought of floating out into space was something she wasn't eager to discover the reality of. Her feet finally returned to the ground however the man still hadn't removed his arm from around her waist. She looked to find her fathers first mate looking down at her with a smirk on her face.

"Afternoon, Miss Richardson." He chuckled.

"I'm sure you find this amusing, Mr Hawkins." She replied, slightly embarrassed.

"I do."

"Well, if you would could you please-"

"Um, I would brace yourself if I was you." He warned, still with the smirk plastered on his face. She narrowed his eyes.

"For what?"

He looked out to the destination and put his hat on. "We're about to launch."

She frowned wondering by what he meant by that until she felt the force surging the ship forward which almost threatened to knock her over if she was holding onto Hawkins. Shooting her into the open sky and into the far and beyond.


	8. Certainties, Uncertainties

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Certainties, Uncertainties

For **iAmTheLlamaUseek13**

The rest of the journey had been just as her father had told her and more. It was more than she could have expected. In fact it exceeded her expectations by light years. She knew thought that she would ever experience anything like this. Now when the wind was blowing back Cassandra's hair and she felt her body fly in parallel with the ship she felt even more existent. She finally felt like she mattered. That she wasn't some mere girl who came from a wealthy family who may have been confined to a loveless marriage in order to improve her social status. She felt more in tune with the universe again. Cassandra could breath in its air and become one with it. She could finally feel as free as the birds from the nests in the trees she would pass by on her walks with her sisters. She had never felt like this before. It disconcerted and liberated her at the same time. It was a range rather than a single feeling which jolted her icy blood and made it alive once again. Her heart was beating faster but steadier than it ever had done before. She felt a shiver brush against her skin but Cassandra wasn't afraid. She felt exhilarated. She knew of everything that she wanted in that instant.

Everything which had seemed like it was shrouded behind a blanket had been blown away and now everything was clearer. She could finally discard those feelings of doubt. She didn't need to be afraid any more. Cassandra didn't need to be uncertain any more. She knew what she wanted now without the slightest doubt she knew that this was the life she wanted. She no longer wanted the passive, monotonous life she had been living. She didn't need to imprison herself in some life now with the excuse of it being the only thing that she knew and knew that worked for her. Before Cassandra wasn't living at all, she was just breathing and walking. She was sleepwalking. Walking from dream to another realising that there was a life outside this soothing illusion. She wasn't discovering she was just accepting life was just what it was. She was blind to its beauty and liveliness. It wanted Cassandra to be part of it but she was just looking out into this world which she believed was the only thing that was real and worth living for. The ironic thing was she wasn't living. She was just being comfortable. Now Cassandra was soaring through the sky. She was flying through the universe. She being something more than what she believed she could be. Her dreams were now a reality. Her fantasies were now her relentless ambitions.

"You look dazed."

Cassandra spun round and found herself staring up at her fathers first mate. His eyes were glazed with something which she could only call affectionate familiarity. It made the warmed blood in her veins jump with the same excitement she was now experiencing. She wasn't sure what it was, she knew what she was feeling before but she wasn't sure what she was feeling for this James Hawkins. Perhaps he knew why she was gazing out at the universe in such a way. He must've had such awe-struck feelings for the universe when he first laid eyes on it. Otherwise he wouldn't have led such a life.

She smiled nervously and kept on glancing back at the scenery erratically. "Yeah. I mean, yes. It's just so beautiful. My father told me so many stories about it and I can't help but think...They used to seem so amazing to me and that there was nothing like them but now that I'm here I think that they're nothing compared to the real thing."

He nodded. "That's the tragedy. Stories are always a diluted version of the realities its trying to convey."

"My, my Mr Hawkins." She flirted flickering her eyelashes. He raised his eyebrows and stepped forward slightly.

"What, Miss Richardson?" He replied charmingly.

"Nothing. It just seems you're more intelligent than you make out." She replied lightly making him laugh. He knew, hopefully, that she was joking.

When he looked away she closed her eyes and rebuked herself wondering why she was talking in such a way. She never talked like that. She never thought herself as the type of girl who would jump to talking in such a way. Not yet anyway. She was hoping that Helen wasn't right about her being in love with him. She looked around briefly to make sure that she wasn't around or overhearing. All was clear except for a few ship crew and they were the least of her worries in the grand scheme of things. How was she supposed to be in love with him when she had never been in love with anyone else before. But then again...How was she supposed to know if that was the case? She wanted to smack herself in the face for her behaviour and her illogical thinking. She had never made such a fool of herself and she knew that Helen would never let her forget it. She would eventually find out that she was right on some level about her feelings for James Hawkins. At least she would never know about her first attempt at flirting. Cassandra would never be able to live that one down and Helen certainly wouldn't abstain from making her life a living Hell with that one piece of information. She sighed and turned back to Mr Hawkins who was now staring out into space, quite literally as if he was looking for something. Or someone.

"I take it that you are enjoying the voyage. Even after a few hours." He chuckled. She nodded frowning at him.

"Of course. Why do you find that so strange? What?" She demanded reacting to the strange looks that he was giving her.

"Well, I've been to many dinners with Captains and their families. Many of them have daughter but out of all of them none of them are as eager as you to go on a voyage with them. They're more concerned with painting, knitting, piano playing."

She folded her arms and nodded. "Yes. I get the idea, Mr Hawkins but what has this got to do with me?"

"What has this got to do with you? What I'm saying, Miss Richardson, is that you are one in a million. You out of all those Captain's daughters. Out of all those aristocrats you don't just admire at the beauty of the universe but you absorb yourself into it. You marvel and become one with it. I could tell with that look you had on your face. It's still there...lingering. It's never going to go away you know." He warned.

"I hope not." She replied impulsively. She looked down embarrassed that she had shared what she thought as intimate feelings with such a stranger.

Men didn't ever want to make their feelings all that obvious. Well, not some. Some wanted to make it all too obvious but she presumed that James Hawkins wasn't exactly the type to do so. It was ridiculous to be thinking in such a way. She being totally irrational and immature. She wanted to be focused on pursing a career not a relationship she didn't have time to be thinking about that. She had to think this through before having a panic attack or more importantly, jumping to conclusions. For goodness sake she was fifteen years old, he was twenty-one she couldn't imagine herself being in the right age group where it would be appropriate for them to enter into a relationship. She had to stop herself from groaning and sinking to her knees. She was now contemplating them having a relationship or even the possibility of it. She looked up at the stars which were now beginning clearer and sharper now. Despite that about an hour ago it had been midday. Now it seemed to be night.

"We're made out of them you know."

"What?"

"The stars. We're made out of them."

She laughed. "I know that. I guess its quite comforting really."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well no matter how alone you feel all you have to do is look up and know that you're not. Even if you're the last living person in the universe all you have to do is look up and know that isn't true."


	9. Stowaways

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Stowaways

For **awesmninja**

Cassandra groaned when the light shone through the window knowing that it was time for her to wake up and get out of bed. She was never a morning person. She couldn't see how her father could get up so early. He would always tell her that if she got up early she would be able to get more out of a day. Or so he claimed. She supposed she could make an except for the time being. She was surprised her father wasn't banging on their bedroom door demanding for them to get out of bed. He always said that when the sun beckoned her from her slumber it was time to start the day. Besides, she better start getting used to it considering that the Academy would be less merciful when it came to daily schedules. She groaned at the thought and knew that there was no turning back. Her father wouldn't really consider 'not being a morning person' as a good excuse. Also it was either that or be a socialite. If it was between that and early mornings...She was tempted in throwing her pillow over her head and praying for a few minutes in her warm bed. She just didn't want to be thinking about things like that right now. The idea of it was exciting as it was daunting. Then again she knew that this wasn't a productive way of beginning the day. She needed to get out of bed and stretch her legs since she was becoming too restless. So she swung her legs out of her bed and drowsily got to her feet she she skidded her feet across the floor towards her chest of draws.

She glanced at Helen who still had her head buried under the covers obviously determined to get a few more minutes sleep. She smirked, knowing with the occupational route she wanted to go down didn't include sleeping in on a morning. In fact, Helen was going to be in for a huge shock when she would stay working professionally. Cass knew she would have the same fate as well. Well she did she just didn't want to admit to it. Cass was considering getting a bucket of cold water and throwing it on top of her head, just to see if it would work. She had heard that it was a good method of waking someone up. Gina had threatened to do so on some occasions when Helen or Cassandra refused to get out of bed. Or perhaps getting something like a siren and screeching it in her ears. Smirking at the idea she took out the trousers she wore the day before and a fresh, crisp shirt which she tucked into her trousers. She reached out for her boots which she slid onto her feet. When she was about to reach out for the other one it suddenly seemed to come to life and trotted away. She frowned and sat back for a moment before getting up and following it. She had never seen a boot do that before and she knew that it certainly wasn't in their nature to just get up and walk away.

She walked out the room and glanced around corners looking around cautiously. She checked all the rooms where everyone else seemed to be sleeping which to be frank actually surprised her. She would have thought that most crew members would have even earlier starts than this. She didn't know whether her father was being extremely fair and being totally harsh on his own daughter or whether she was being a little bit of a hypocrite. There were some people who were still on duty since someone always needed to be on duty. There were some people who stayed away all night to stay on watch and slept by the day. But still it would be nice if someone relieved them of that duty. After giving up on searching through the living quarters she went to the maintenance areas and searched there. After wandering around what seemed to be a maze for almost an hour she finally found it lying in the middle of a corridor. She tiptoed towards it before it would run off again and just before being moments away from getting it within her grasp it flew up into the air and swirled into what she could only call or comprehend as a pink, blobby creature which seemed to have a similar texture to jelly.

"Hello." She greeted uncertainly. "What on earth are you?"

"He's not from earth." Said a voice behind her. She spun round to find Mr Hawkins walking up to her with a smirk on his face.

"His name's Morph." He explained.

"What is he?" She asked wrinkling her nose.

He tilted his head to the side and gave her a blank look. "A morph."

She raised an eyebrow. "That's not a very creative name to give to a...morph."

"Yes. Quite, but er...I wasn't the one who named him."

A reflective expression was cast across his face for a moment at the mention of this. Perhaps this person was a close friend of his?

"Who was it? Who named him I mean."

"An old friend. Someone who was more or less my boss on my first voyage."

"Oh." She turned back to the morph and slowly reach out her hand to touch him.

Morph considered this gesture as an instant sign of friendship and swooped over to her face and rubbed himself against her cheek making her laugh.

"Well aren't you the most adorable thing I've ever met. Although there's still the matter of the boot that you took from me."

Morph gave her an innocent look during this interrogation. She tilted her head knowing that he knew this would be enough to let him off the hook. She wasn't one to be won over by teddy bears or endearing gifts most girls her age would scream over but for some reason, Morph had that extra cute factor which even she couldn't resist. Jim sighed shaking his head, he really had to try to aggravate who would probably would turn out to be one of the most volatile women he would ever meet on his first encounter with him. Then again it wasn't Morph's fault. He didn't know a volatile individual from a pacifist. Thank goodness it was pink and squidgy otherwise she probably wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he was any less cuter. Cassandra was now cupping Morph tightly in her hands and looking down intently at him. Jim thought this would be the best moment to intervene not just for Morph but for the sake of her integrity. He stepped forward and held out a boot which he found in the kitchens and raised an eyebrow.

"Do you mean this one? Morph was just about to add it to this mornings breakfast fortunately I was down at the time when I was inspecting the kitchens."

He handed it to a very grateful Cassandra who instantly put in on her shoeless foot with graceful swiftness.

"Ah, much better." She turned to Jim and tilted her head. "It's nice to have shoes on both your feet." She explained making him laugh.

"I can understand your pain. He pulled the exact same trick on me on my first voyage. Are you feeling awake yet?"

"I was already awake." She replied evenly. "I'm just feeling somewhat dizzy."

He laughed again and motioned her to walk up to the top deck. "Come on. Let's get you some air."

"There's air down here. It's not something you go down to the shop to buy you know." She replied dryly.

"I was meaning fresh air." He replied in a carefree voice. "And I appreciate the dry humour by the way but not many people would. I'm just saying for future reference."

"Huh. A man giving an adolescent girl who is expected to attend finishing school advice on social etiquette." She mused. "Is there any more pearls of wisdom you would like to impart, Mr Hawkins?"

He shook his head. "Nah, you're okay. Oh by the way now that I think about it. There is someone else who decided to stow away on board who happens to be an old friend of mine from my first experience out in space. If you happen to come across him I would really appreciate it that you told me and you are totally obligated to rip him into spare parts."

She raised a quizzical eyebrow. "And what would that mean exactly? Spare parts?"

Jim scratched the back of his head and looked up at the sky. "Well, he's kind of a robot but a very...friendly one."

She backed away slightly and nodded. She wasn't entire sure what was meant by this but she was sure that approaching this robot with caution would definitely be advised.

"Alright. So who is this other 'friend' of yours?"

"His name is B.E.N. It stands for Bio Electronic Navigator but you don't have to call him that."

"Yes. Thank you." She laughed.

She looked onto on the sky again which was now a deep blue it almost seemed to be fading into a light purple which reminded her of those summer evening from her childhood, where she would go out for a walk in the country and would spend the entire day amongst the tall trees in the wood and the wildflowers in the field, completely loosing track of time. It was going to clear skies today meaning that there were going to be more miles to be covered. Her father would certainly be happy and she would be able to oversee the ships activities without there being any problems. Despite that meant that this would be a shorter journey clear skies it was always a good omen and never to be a piece of luck to be rejected in order to have a bit excitement. Even she knew this. Then again her father did know what she wanted to be before she even did, which meant all these lessons were to be hammered into her head before she would step onto a ship...

"JIMMY!" A voice screeched from behind them.

Cassandra gripped onto the side of the ship and stared wide eyed at the owner of the voice who had just interrupted her peaceful thoughts. At first she was more confused rather than frightened. It took a lot more than an eccentric, rusty looking robot to startle her. The robot seemed to be gripping onto Mr Hawkins or evidently known to him as 'Jimmy' a nickname in a rather familiar or albeit, disconcerting fashion. She couldn't really imagine anyone gripping onto him in this manner but then again as it seemed this voyage was going to be filled with many surprises. She couldn't imagine pinning this acquaintance onto him but anyhow...He had large, binocular eyes. The structure of his body was thin and almost looked like you could snap it like a twig. His behaviour was erratic and as Mr Hawkins mentioned very friendly. She was now glad she didn't encounter him without Mr Hawkins being present.

"Er..."

"BEN!" Mr Hawkins roared. "How many times did I tell you and Morph not to come with me on the voyage? I'm sure you have enough intellect to know that no means NO."

"Mr Hawkins..."

"But Jimmy we haven't been on an adventure with you since Treasure Planet and we hardly spent any time with you..."

"Ben that doesn't matter! I have a job now this is totally unprofessional-"

"MR HAWKINS!" Cassandra cried loud enough to make them stop and stare at her. "I'm sure my father won't mind after all. In fact I think they would be very interested in meeting them. So please...refrain yourself from..."

"What?"

"I don't know you looked like you were going to throw him over the side of the ship or something!" She cried out in desperation.

After a few moments Jim finally burst into laughter. He laughed so hard he even gripped his stomach and laughed till he cried.

"Oh...Miss Richardson. I'm very tempted to do that but don't worry. Ben's too good a use to throw over the ship. I was going to bring him along once I got my own ship but anyhow. Don't worry."

Ben stepped forward. "And my I say thank you for such a gracious lady to care about my welfare so much despite the unnecessary measures."

He grabbed her hand and kissed her hand and then up her arm and eventually snatched her arm back and gave him a look.

"Ben." Jim warned him. "Don't push it."

"Why? Is she a feminist?" He whispered.

Jim chuckled. "You could say that."

Cassandra raised her eyebrow. "Well if you excuse me Mr Hawkins I have to find a bucket to fill some very cold water with if my friend is still in bed."

And on that note spun round to find Morph holding a bucket for her. She reached out and tickled him.

"You're a useful little thing aren't you even if your are a bit mischievous. You are." She cooed.

Morph giggled in delight making back-flips in the air.

Ben leaned over to whisper in Jim's ear. "Why doesn't she tickle me?" He moaned.

"Because you're not squidgy and cute."

"Oh."


	10. Old Memories

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Old Memories

For **Shining Petals**

After throwing some water on her head Helen refused to talk to Cassandra for the whole day. Then again she felt like a complete hypocrite when she was feeling rather offended by this since she couldn't imagine herself being happy with the person who threw a bucket of water over her head while in deep slumber. She would probably be in a mood with them for a week whereas she could imagine Helen being more tolerant than her over such things. Besides she had the capabilities of holding a grudge for far longer than Helen was willing to. She was a stubborn girl unsure which parent to blame that on. But it annoyed her more that she had the ability to drag herself out of bed and that Helen wasn't willing to at least emerge after a few minutes of her rising out of solidarity. She was almost afraid that Helen was failing to uphold her feminist beliefs which she shared with Cass. (Yes, Ben was correct. Cassandra was a feminist). Instead of an apology she heard a 'wakey, wakey'. Something else she didn't appreciate about the whole incident so Cass decided to spend the day with Morph and Ben. She wanted to get to know them better anyway. Ben came across as an intelligent concoction but due to his hyperactive tendencies he probably went off on one way too often.

She eventually found them talking to her father who was stroking Morph and shaking Ben's hand. A strange sight for her to see but then again her father was never put off by someone upon the account of them being a little bit flamboyant. He disapproved but never criticised. They were obviously talking about their adventures at Treasure Planet. When Ben mentioned it she finally realised that Mr Hawkins was _**that **_James Hawkins. The one who found the lost map when it was believed to have been lost forever. The one who didn't bring back the legendary treasure but mysterious on his return instantly got his mother out of all the financial problems he was having along with entering into the Interstellar Academy. She walked up to them with a smirk on her face, knowing that later she would try to grab a chance to interrogate him. However this smile soon vanished when Ben caught site of her he threw his arms up in the air and wrapped them around her. Obviously this was another chance at him 'getting to know her'. His efforts were in vain as this earned him a venomous glare which made him smile uncertainly and back away slowly hiding behind Mr Hawkins whose shoulders were shaking with amusement. The day had passed like the past few weeks a miraculous blur of blue skies and and fresh air. She couldn't wait to go on her first real voyage.

"So." Ben began. "What do you do during the day?"

Cassandra shrugged her shoulders. "I just watch the crew work. Look out at the horizon. Catch up on my studies. 'Hang out' with Father while he works. Stuff like that."

Ben gave her a _very _bored look. "So not much then?"

"Well. There isn't much more to do when you're not working on the ship."

"So why did you come?"

"I wanted to go on a voyage with my Father since I was three. I always loved the stories he told me and I knew that there was more to them so here I am."

"Still, couldn't a pretty lady such as yourself be working on her social etiquette and snatch up a husband. I mean you're attractive enough and everything."

Cassandra was deciding whether she should take this comment as a compliment or begin to figure out how she was going to dismantle him. Most girls her age would take this as a compliment but she was very different to girls her age. The way you would take this comment would be determined by your ideals and views upon the role of women in society and in her cause it therefore led her to take this as an insult but one which was not purposefully made. She never received these sorts of 'compliments' from her brothers because they knew they were likely to find something unpleasant in their beds the next morning when they woke up. She had not been around men often enough to be complimented either but she could tell when she was being under-mined and when someone was making a thoughtless comment. This was how much the sexist views of women annoyed her. Not just because they went against her own ideals but also because women were given more choices and options in comparison to when her mother was her age. She wasn't confined to only being able to being someone's wife. Thank Heavens. But the fact this expectation for women was still continuing was just insulting. There were finishing schools still running for goodness sake. The thought the concept of giving women equal rights to a man included removing all things or established the contrary.

Cassandra raised her eyebrow acting as a signal for Ben to take cover. "Oh God. The Feminist is ready to attack again!" He cried ducking behind a barrel.

She sighed and shook her head at Morph who perched himself on her shoulder. "I don't know how you put up with him."

"I don't know." Jim said. "I think its his own will power which allows him to hold on to maintaining some connection with me. I think him working for my mother doesn't really help."

"No. I can't imagine it does. Wait, how does your mother put up with him?"

"Oh, he's friendly and enthusiastic and she runs an inn." He answered.

"Ah." She understood. That was perfect material for an employee at an inn. "So, tell me about Treasure Planet."

He groaned. "Please. I know you're not doing anything right now so you have no excuse."

He gave her a puppy dog and after realising it wasn't working he sat down. "Well, some old Salamander crashed near our inn and basically handed it to me. He must have been from the crew who had it because the next thing we knew pirates were raiding the inn and burnt it down."

"Oh my goodness that's awful thank goodness your mother found the money to rebuild it."

He nodded. "Anyway, we stayed with a friend and customer and we unlocked it and suddenly the map came out like a hologram and took us through the universe all the way to the planet. Doppler organised a crew and we were set up. Now, there was something particularly funny about this crew as this Salamander warned me about a cyborg who happened to be the cook on the same crew."

"But this turned out to be a coincidence?"

"No. It was the same one, but he turned out to be alright in the end. In fact he's the old friend who found Morph here. I worked at the cabin boy and was the guy giving me all my agonising jobs moping the deck, skinning potatoes. Stuff like that and taught me a lot of life lessons. He became a sort of father to me."

Cassandra rubbed her arm self-consciously. 'Yes. Of course your father walked out on you.'

She could see that she was touching upon a sensitive subject with Mr Hawkins and knew soon that it would be best to move onto another topic. She may not attend balls or afternoon tea but she was still able to tell when was the best time to change the subject in a social situation. She wasn't completely devoid from social etiquette. Cassandra couldn't imagine the pain of losing her father but she could imagine that it would be a thousand times more painful if her father abandoned them. She didn't care to imagine it either. After loosing her mother, her father was all she had left. Yes, she had her brothers and sisters but...Loosing your mother and father was something else. She lost her mother too soon. She knew that now. It would be too much for her to lose her father as well. It was one thing to lose your father through death but it was another to be abandoned by one. She would feel so unwanted. Undesired. She would feel like she was worth less than the ground that she walked on. It would be like being left stranded on a deserted planet with no one to comfort you. No one to care about you. She'd know then that she wasn't worth a place in the universe. At least she had a caring father. Her father would never do anything like that to his children she was sure of it.

"Yeah. I think I kind of lost sight of things until he came along. Then everything kind of fell into place. One day something terrible happened. We came across a supernova and I was in charge of life lines were alright and someone cut the first mates line and I was blamed. For weeks I thought it was my fault but I found out the truth." His voice seemed to drift off for a moment and without thinking Cassandra reached out to touch his hand.

"Mr Hawkins?"

He looked up and saw that she had leaned forward a little closer which was already too close. He could almost feel the gentle touch of her breath stroking his face. His heart began to beat a little quicker but he shook his head.

"I- It's something I don't like to think about a lot."

"But it must have seemed so exciting."

"Oh. I didn't mean the voyage. I mean the death of Mr Arrow, the first mate. It's something I...I still feel responsible."

"But it's like you said. It was one of those pirates who cut his life line. It wasn't your fault, James.

Mr Hawkins." She quickly corrected herself.

He looked up and frowned with a slight frown on his face. "You know you just sounded like my

mother just then."

"Really? Well I'm sure she's a very independent and firm woman who knows how to hold a man in place." She replied curtly to hide her embarrassment.

He shrugged his shoulders, he didn't have to take long to consider this. "She put up with me. I'm sure that's a good sign of it I suppose."

He chuckled nervously for a moment and then cast his eyes to the ground as if he were embarrassed. She blinked with uncertainty with theories buzzing about in her mind as to why he was suddenly behaving this way. She tried to reclaim his gaze again but he seemed instant that he wasn't good enough to look at her. It was beginning to make her feel nervous. Almost as nervous as if he were intently gazing her without breaking the long stare. She had never felt someone's eyes upon her, as if they were burning into her and see their thoughts, emotions, desires. Everything you didn't want another person to know about you. Those darkest secrets you kept hidden within the depths of your soul so that no one could find them. She didn't know whether it was out of disdain or the conversation that they were having. She was certainly hoping that it was the latter. She didn't want him to disdain her for any reason. She couldn't understand this compelling reason for him to like her. She would even give up any habits or sacrifice any ideals in order for him to like her. But the one thing she didn't want was for him to hate her. Just as long as he didn't hate her she couldn't care less if he didn't like her.

She turned back to him and tilted her head. "You don't have to tell me everything instantly. I'm sure there's much more to tell. I can also see that this is something which..." Her voice had trailed off by then.

"Miss Richardson?"

"Yes?"

He looked down and hesitated. "I know this isn't really my place but have you really got over the death of your mother. I mean...When I mentioned my mother and the death of Arrow you seemed...disturbed."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I've gotten over blaming my sister." She finally answered. "But I don't think anyone could get over something like that."

"A lot of people can come to terms with death." He offered. "Even if it is the death of a loved one."

"I was there." She interjected. "When she was in child-labour. Nobody realised I was there until my sister was out of her body. There was so much blood, so much screaming. Before she died she looked at me with such a horrified look. She must've been horrified that I was there at the moment she was going to die and that I had seen such a traumatic part of life."

"Childbirth is traumatic?"

"Believe me it's not pleasant. I mean, I have nothing against it. I certainly wouldn't object to having children if I marry but not for a long time."

"Oh."

She raised her eyebrow. "Oh? What do you mean by 'oh'?" She teased.

"Nothing." He jumped off the barrel and went off to do his duties. She blinked after him with a

look of amazement on her face.

"You can't just walk off and say something like that." She called after him. He spun round with a grin plastered on his face.

"Maybe we'll have another again?"


	11. Meteor Shower

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Meteor Shower

For **Starlight Lone-Wolf**

It all happened so fast. It was almost like a dream. No it was a nightmare. It was all a blur of fire, screams and explosions. It was worse than the day that her mother died. It was more diabolical than the horrors which she saw on that day. It was total chaos, there was no control she couldn't blame the crew or Mr Hawkins for things to have ended up as they had done. No one could've put a stop to it. She had never seen anything more uncontrollable in her life. She turned to Helen who was looking away from the floating wreckage. Cassandra could deal with such a disaster however Helen didn't take to such things very well. Her eyes were wide-eyed and shaking all over. Her hair was dishevelled and wild from running frantically from danger and her dress had been lazily thrown onto her. Cassandra stretched out her hand and grasped it tightly. It was so cold and she was shaking like a leave in the midst of a storm struggling to hold onto its branch. She knew Helen was in more need of comfort than she. Cassandra as strong than she. She had lost her parents but she had never witnessed their deaths. She was lucky in that respect. She never had to endure to witness that suffering and bloodshed. She was strictly kept away from them when they lay dying in their beds and quite rightly so. She turned back to her from the fiery chaos and saw her petrified expression on her face. She drew her face and buried it in her shoulder. Poor Helen...

_An hour earlier..._

There was an eerie presence in the air as if it were a moment in a novel where it had reached that moment of one of foreboding or epic foreshadowing to how the rest of the plot was going end up. Out in the cold space winds Cassandra felt hauntingly alone. She knew that there would be someone else nearby but that didn't stop her from having these strange feelings. She felt like something bad was going to happen...She didn't know what...But she was scared that it was going to happen to someone she loved. She remembered that old saying '_It's bad luck to have a woman on board_'. She had a feeling that once she broke this rule this was going to lead her father's voyage to encountering something rather terrible...She looked up at the stars, her own personal guardian angels. She would take her little sister up to the roof and point some of them out to her. Whenever their father would come home she would brag about the new things her older sister taught her and she would see the little twinkle of pride in her father's eyes when he would glance at her. She felt so separate from them, she had lost that sense of connection with them.

That night she felt like she was so far away from them. They sparkled maliciously like they were about to watch a comic play where she would be the main protagonist. She turned away dismissively and shivered against the cold night air. She heard something approaching the ship from afar and shook it off as superstition. She thought that maybe that old saying was getting to her head now. She turned away from the side and looked away from the sky and the scenery outside the little secure sphere she felt so safe under. She had been acting strangely ever since Mr Hawkins had left her waiting for another again. She smiled at that memory and found herself twirling a strand of hair around her finger. She felt her cheeks redden whenever she looked at him. Her heart quickened whenever she thought about him. She stuttered whenever she talked about him and almost became a different person when she spoke to him. Every time she had spent time with him she felt something stir within her. Something she couldn't name or identify. It was like the way the woods had changed with each passing season. She folded her arms as she pondered on this and tried to concentrate as hard as she could. However, this was still been clouded by the blotted images of his bright blue eyes, his handsome face and soft voice polluting her mind. She brought her hand to her forehead and frowned to herself.

"Miss Richardson." His voice.

She turned round slowly, still hesitant as to how she should approach him or even converse with him.

"Mr Hawkins." She replied formally.

Mr Hawkins frowned and blinked. "Miss Richardson? Is there something the matter?" He asked in a concerned voice.

She held up her hand and shook her head soon returning it to her forehead and looked down. She wasn't sure she could risk looking him in the eyes. "I-I'm fine. I was just..."

"Thinking?" He offered still looking concerned. She looked up and nodded solemnly.

Jim stepped forward with a frown ceasing his forehead. He was concerned by what she said. He couldn't help it. What she was saying just made alarm bells go off in his head. He knew it was never good when people said just 'thinking' rather than indicating to what they were thinking about. He knew that she was troubled by something and knew that it was his duty to look out for her. There was a part of him which was screaming at him that he was crossing that line into that boundary which should never be explored into. He knew that he was doing something which may put everything he worked for at risk but then there was that other voice...That other voice which was stronger than the other which was telling him that she needed his help. To be fair, that was one of the first orders her father had issued to him on the voyage but then again he knew that he would've done it anyway even if he hadn't been ordered to do so. He had never seen Cassandra Richardson behave in such a way. He didn't know her that well but...She wasn't being herself. Even he could see that. She was always happy and with a smile on her face. It would make anyone laugh or dismiss any saddened emotions lingering in their thoughts. He remembered that afternoon when he first came to Captain Richardson's house. She was so happy he doubted any angel in heaven could've been happier than she was in that moment with the sunshine raining down on her.

He glanced up again to see if he could find any signs as to what was troubling her. The expression on her face made him want to reach out and smooth her wrinkled forehead. It was just wrong for her to wear such an expression on her face. He could remember having such a frown on his forehead when he was her age. He was usually thinking about the time when his father walked out on him and his mother. Or how he was failing school and was continually getting into trouble with the authorities. However as this was a woman that he was dealing with he was sure that there would be other things on her mind. It seemed decades ago when he was feeling these emotions. He frowned to himself when he stumbled upon this thought. It made him feel so old. Yes, he was only twenty one but the mere phraseology of it was so...old. He shook his head and turned back to Cassandra who now had her back to him and turned back to the stars. He smiled affectionately, knowing that he could empathise with her all too well in this respect. He remembered- in fact he still thought that if no one could provide any answers or couldn't find any within himself, the stars always could. However, you could never help but feel so far away from them. It was difficult to gain answers from something which seemed so far away.

He stepped forward and stood beside her. "They're beautiful aren't they? They're mysterious too. They're amazing creations as well. Sometimes when too many things are mixed together they make a huge mess and turn into something not so attractive. But stars are different."

"Yes. I suppose so." She smiled to herself and looked away. "Is that a line you use with all the women you try to court, Mr Hawkins?"

He chuckled but stopped trying to put on a serious face. "You have to admit it works. The line."

She gave him a shocked look and looked away. "Well did it?"

"No." She shot back still laughing.

"Oh I think it did." He teased. She pushed him away and they both returned staring up at the stars again. "So what's wrong?"

She sighed and was about to give him some excuse but felt that this was wrong. "Nothing that you should concern yourself with." She replied in an exhausted voice.

She was about to walk away by Jim took her by the arm. "No. No tell me what's wrong." He said softly. He stared down into her eyes but she looked downwards.

"Sir. You're my fathers first mate, I'm sure you have other matters to attend to."

"Nothing more urgent than this." He replied gravely staring down intently at her. She scrunched up her face into an uneasy expression.

"Mr Hawkins, I really don't think you should be-"

"Why? Don't use my occupation as an excuse. I'm sure that whatever I've been through is nothing I haven't experienced." He reasoned. He took her by her hands. "So tell me."

She glanced at him and attempted at a joke. "You're not going to let me go are you?"

He shook his head. "Never."

She hesitated until she looked up and saw how sincere he was. She couldn't tell so well even when she looked at him when she saw the light flashing back and forth over his face. There was still that doubt in her mind because she knew it was more sensible to doubt a man in any situation than the believe him entirely. Or perhaps he may take this well. She wasn't going to rest her hopes on him returning her affections but at least he may be able to take it well. Both Jim and Cassandra saw a infernal, red cloud hovering towards them. Cassandra stepped forward slightly to see abominable rocks shooting out of them into an area which the ship was about to enter into. She quickly looked behind her and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw someone was already at the helm trying to divert the ship away from it. However still a meteor shoot out in the direction ship and almost hit Cassandra if Jim hadn't pulled her back and pressed her against the door which went below deck. She had to admit she found that moment a little bit exhilarating and not just because the near-death experience...He opened the door and was about to shove her down the stairs until a crew member caught his attention.

"Mr Hawkins!"

"What?"

"A meter hit the gravitational support. We've only got a few moments before the ship begins to shut down!"

Jim went white and knew that there was only one course of action to take: abandon ship. "Get the lifeboats ready. Send out the order for every crew member to go to the lifeboats immediately." He turned back to Cassandra and took her by the shoulders. "Cassandra go find your sister and get yourselves to the lifeboats. You know where it is?" She nodded. "Good. I'll meet you there. Or your father. Wait for one of us. Promise me."

"Yes."

She had no time to think and flew to her room and found Helen reading. She looked at her for a moment wondering why she was sitting there reading. Had she not heard what was going on outside? Did she not feel the ship amongst topple onto one side? None of that. With no time to explain she took her by the wrist and dragged her down to the lifeboats. She shouted something at her which completely slipped Cassandra's mind. She didn't want to have an argument right now when she knew that her main goal was the get off the ship as quickly as possible. She was already in a corridor where the crew members were clamouring down the corridors to get to the lifeboats. Most were being practical and trying to get as many as possible into one, something she was rather glad of since she knew that panic was the worst element to throw into a situation such as this. However others were panicking and took off when some lifeboats were already half full. She looked up the stairs to see if Mr Hawkins or her father were arriving. Still nothing when it came to the last lifeboat she began to panic. Helen gripped her sleeve.

"Where's father? Or Mr Hawkins?"

"Miss." It was another crew member addressing her. "You best get on. We've only got a few more moments."

She shook her head but she felt someone push her into the lifeboat. "TAKE OFF!"

"Where's father?" Jim looked back at her and said nothing. He didn't have to. His eyes told her enough. She took him by his jacket and shook him.

"Why?" Her voice was shaking. "Wh-"

The lifeboat shot off away from the ship. "WHY?" She screamed.

"Someone needed to keep the ship afloat while the lifeboats could take off! Believe me I tried to convince him otherwise!"

"But there's none left!"

Jim stared back at her with an expression that said _'I know. I tried.' _It then occurred to her that her father was willing to throw his life away for the rest of the crew. For her and Helen. Maybe if they hadn't come he wouldn't have made this sacrifice. No. He would have given up his life for his crew. He was that kind of man. She turned back to the ship which had now been set on fire. It was lit up like the fireplace in those cold winter evenings that from a distance she could still feel the heat of the flames burning against her skin. Space was cold. She couldn't even feel this great fire from such a close distance. She stared at it knowing that her father was still on board in that chaos made her heart ache even more. She imagined him still holding onto the helm, his hands shaking as he waited for the meteor that would end his life in an instant. That was all it took. He was just waiting for his death now. He was waiting for the moment when he would be leaving his children and the reunion with his wife. She sank down in her seat and stared at the flames unaware of the tears streaming down her face. She felt so numb that she couldn't even feel the tight grip on her arm which she would begin to feel later. She leant against Mr Hawkins who wrapped an arm around her. She had no energy to howl. She had nothing left in her now. She just stared at her father's death. Just as she had done with her mother.

~ (***) ~

The woman picked on the small piece of wood that was sticking out of the table as she slowly drank her rum. She took another swig and felt the dark liquid burn her throat and wrinkled her nose in disgust. She needed something to take the edge off...She glanced down at the glowing, ruby red substance and sighed. She didn't feel like drinking tonight. She could feel it in her bones. She had been drinking since she was fifteen and ever since she hadn't been able to stop. Not to the point where like some other regulars in here were running into debt as a result of this habit but something which made her forget about all those things that she did...All those people she had to give up. There were some nights where she still dreamt about her...For some reason she just didn't have it in her right now. Usually she was always looking forward to her regular visits to the tavern but now she had a feeling that there was something wrong. There was something out there that had...Something bad had happened. Before she could banish this thought from her mind someone came barging into the room. He had a dirty face, ash blonde hair which hadn't been washed in weeks and a coat which had been repaired so much that it probably consisted of twenty different coats. She wondered why his wife even bothered. Especially with the amount of arguments those two had.

When he caught sight of her he came running over which made her roll her eyes and take in a deep breath...

_Here we go..._

"Marianne!"

"Yeah?"

"I heard- I heard-" He panted. He gave himself a moment to catch his breath before he would continue. She waited patiently and took another sip while she was at it. "There was an explosion."

"Where?" She asked in disinterested voice.

"Out in space. I thought you might be interested because of the Captain who was killed..."

She blinked. _That was interesting...How would he know if there were any Captain's she was particularly interested in? There weren't many, in fact there was only one..._

Her eyes widened and she grabbed him by the collar. "Who?"

"Captain Richardson." He wheezed. He fell to the ground when she let him go and coughed dramatically.

Her head was spinning. _Xavier was dead? Was there anyone else..._

"Reed. Was there anyone else on board?"

"Anyone of interest? Not really. Except for his two daughters which he took with him. But they were able to escape before the ship went down."

"Do you know whereabouts they are now?"

"They're at some planet a few doors from ours. They're probably going to return to Monstressor since that's where they were from."

Marianne nodded, she remembered Xavier mentioning something about him being from there...She always wondered whether there was his wife waiting for her there as well...

"Reed?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know anything about his wife? I mean...Since you've got such a talent for hearing about things that concern such important people." She inquired with a little sarcasm in her voice.

Reed scratched his head (probably because of the flees). "Er...Well I do remember hearing some news about her dying. Oh yes, I remember now she died giving birth to the younger daughter. She's still a little thing now I suppose. Gosh, now they've all lost both their parent's now..."

Marianne gripped her cup and looked away. She knew more than Reed. She didn't want to come across as her being connected to someone like Xavier but how did he know...?

"Reed, when have I ever said that I was interested in Xavier Richardson?"

Reed chuckled. "You really don't remember that night do ya? You got really drunk once and we exchanged stories about the War and what we were doing and you said that you worked with a little bit."

She almost breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. "Yeah, of course."


	12. Rescuing Helen

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Rescuing Helen

For **awesmninja**

It took them a few days until they returned to Montressor. Sometimes she thought it was because they were taking a long route back or maybe it was because it was just her. When you lost everything time seemed to go slower. Time seemed irrelevant once you lost everything you held dear to you because time determined when you would be able to achieve it, the time you left to spend with those you loved but once you lost that there was no point with counting the days. When she first arrived Cassandra felt like she had been away from there for decades rather than weeks. That was another thing. Time became disjointed. Disorientating. You didn't know when was when or how much time had passed. It seemed to be a journey that went on for an eternity. The planet seemed so strange and foreign to her now. She couldn't understand how a place she loved so much had become so...alienating. She dreaded seeing home again, she blessed those extra days it took for her to return to those empty rooms. She looked across her old rooms and knew now that she had lost everything. She had lost her parents, she had lost her freedoms, her hopes. Everything was gone now. Now that her father was gone it would be devoid of laughter and happiness.

She would be trapped in the repressed life of a woman which society had merely escaped but not from her brothers ideals. Now that Fredrick was to be head of the family there was nothing to stop him from asserting what he wanted for the family, not what their father wanted. She had seen over the years their debates and arguments about the financial future of the family and her father simply dismissed his ideas. Not because they were bad ideas but because they were ideas about money. Something which her father had no interest in, like his daughter he was a free spirit who didn't want to be tied down by such things. Money was too complicated and it was complicating the world with it. It was better to leave such things alone. Now she knew sometimes what they were discussing when she heard her name being spoken in a hushed, angry hiss. She knew now that she lay at the core of one of his schemes and now there was nothing he could do to stop it. Now she had arrived there was no knowing what was waiting for her. They made a detour via another planet which Cassandra couldn't remember. She didn't bother thinking on such things. They were not important. Nothing was important now. Her father was dead.

She was now an orphan. Now under her brothers care, her dreams were now swiftly blown away with the solar wind. He would send her to a boarding school and would laugh at her attempts to persuade him otherwise. Then she thought of a more pressing matter than her own welfare. And what of poor Helen? What was going to happen to Helen? Now that her father was dead her brother, Fredrick would be the head of the family and he despised her. He would sooner throw her out the door than pay her tuition for medical school. What were they going to do? Cassandra knew that she had come up with something. With being the only one who was strong enough to defy her brother out of her other siblings she had to think of plan to save Helen from poverty. She tried to steer her mind away from the thoughts of her becoming a governess to some bratty children. She knew every time she looked in her direction she saw that petrifying fear polluting her thoughts. She was determined to not dash away her dreams if hers were to be destroyed./ As she ponder on these thoughts she glanced in the direction of Mr Hawkins who was speaking to an official and then it just occurred to her. Perhaps he could help. He told her that his mother ran an inn therefore he might be able to get her a job there. If the Academy was told her predicament then they may be able to give her a scholarship or at least a bit of flexibility on the payment. He was their only hope.

She picked up her skirts and walked towards him in determination. She probably looked utterly ridiculous doing so but she really didn't care much for her integrity right now. Strangely enough it was the least of her concerns. She had to save Helen but in the worst possible way. A way which involve her having to be deceived for as long as the secret could be kept hidden. She knew that it was dangerous meddling with secrets and lies, but she knew she had no other choice. She had to seek out her help even though she knew it was unlikely that he was going to forgive her for this. He would be able to see through her act of her kindness the selfishness beneath. There was no other person she could turn to. She couldn't think of anyone else who would be willing to help an orphan or someone whom society were likely to mistreat or abuse within their laws which they disguised with words which implied that they thought they had their best interests at heart. Helen needed help. She wasn't going to take any money from him, God forbid. She was simply going to ask for his assistance. She needed someone to protect Helen if she couldn't. She would do anything for her. She would stand by her side if she could but she was still a fifteen-year-old girl. If could support her, if she was only three years older she would help her but she couldn't and she couldn't make Helen wait that long either.

"Mr Hawkins. There is something I must ask of you." She whispered.

She didn't want anyone hearing her, least of all Helen. She didn't want any of this information by any means possible getting back to her brother.

He nodded and brought her to one side. "What is it? I'll do anything, especially after what's happened."

She shook her head. "You shouldn't blame yourself. The cause of my fathers death was not of your doing and I do not want you to think of this as a payment of that loss either. It's just that now that my father is dead this makes my brother, Fredrick the head of the family. You may not know him so you may think that my opinion and this news to be a little biased but I can tell you this...He is not been the most welcoming of brothers when my father adopted Helen and I fear he may cast her out on the streets now the head of the family."

Jim nodded. "I understand, but I don't understand how I could help. I mean like you said I don't know your brother so it's not likely he'll listen to a complete stran-"

"You said that your mother owned an inn." She interjected. "I hope that this isn't too much to ask but is there any chance that your mother could provide her with a job. Or at least a temporary home there. Helen has applied to the Medical Academy and has surely gotten in but the problem is payment. If someone wrote to them and told them of her sudden situation then yes she may get a scholarship but I know that there is so much of a chance of that happening in the near future. Perhaps next year. If you do not want to get yourself involved that is fine-"

Jim shook his head and took her by the shoulders. "I am sure I will be able to help. I could probably do more than that but I'm just wondering why you can't speak to anyone else about this. Isn't there an uncle or a family lawyer?"

"Because you're my only hope. You're the only person who can help me. Help Helen." She corrected herself.

He was quiet for a while before he replied. "And what about you?"

Her eyes drifted away and shrugged her shoulders. "My brother certainly won't allow me to go to the Interstellar Academy. He's probably going to send me to a finishing school and hope I get married off to a rich gentleman."

She closed her eyes and sighed. She couldn't look at him right now. She couldn't bare the idea of him looking at her right now. Just hearing that being said out loud filled her with dread. It filled her with shame and made her feel disgusted with herself. She couldn't believe that it came to this. All those dreams, all those afternoon lessons her father gave her in his study had come to waste. All those passionate ambitions she had were gone in an instant. All she had to do was say those words and now they were all out of reach. Even though she had known about this for days it was only until now when she said it aloud when she admitted to the finality of it. She had the same feeling she had when she was at her mothers funeral. She felt the same inevitability of her fate as she did when she realised her mother was never coming back. She wouldn't even be able to bury her father. His body was gone along with the ship. Forever floating about in space. She didn't want to think about the idea that there would be nowhere to visit her father even when he was dead. There was no where she could go to seek out his comfort he could give her in his deathly silence. There was no way she was going to escape from her fate now. It was almost like she had given her consent for her brother to send her there. She turned to Mr Hawkins timidly and could see the shock in his eyes and it made her feel ashamed.

"What? Why would he do something like that?"

"Because he has old fashioned ideas about women. That they should be just housewives and stick to piano playing or sewing. Anyway, I'm more concerned about Helen, I'm at least going to be financially supported."

"I can't leave you like this." Jim interrupted. "You're so unhappy. I can't-"

"It's not your place-" She stopped herself to collect her thoughts. "It's not your job to care for me. I only ask of you to care for Helen's welfare and no one else's. Least of all mine. If you cared for us both I wouldn't be able to forgive myself because I know it would be too much of a burden."

"Miss Richardson it would be no burden I assure you."

She shook her head and looked down knowing she was on the brink of tears. "No. I have to care for my sister now. She will be all alone and I need some comfort in knowing that my other sister is cared for."

"Cassandra!" He almost cried out. Her body went rigid and stared up at him. "I can't let you confine yourself like this!"

"It's alright. He'll send me to finishing school but that doesn't mean I plan to marry. I know that my father provided for my future in case my brothers died also. When I come of age I will receive enough money for me to go to the Interstellar Academy and still a little to live on. I will get a job perhaps in the summers in between. It's alright. I'll be alright. I can take care of myself."

"And Helen can't?" He questioned.

"No. She can't because she has no money and needs to go to the Medical Academy so that she can." She pressed. "Please. Just do this one thing I ask of you!"

He pressed his lips together tightly and nodded. "Yes. I suppose that you will be fine then I have no need to worry for you."

The words stung her a little but she was able to take it. It was nothing compared to what she suffered from at the present time.

She looked down at the ground then peered up at him with a hint of malice in her eyes. "Thank you. I won't forget this...I won't forget your kindness, Mr Hawkins."

"And I certainly won't forget you Miss Richardson." He replied gravely.

He bowed and walked away and left her there.

She had never be so confused in all her life. She felt reassured now that Helen was going to be alright so she had achieved what she had set out to do. But was that going to be enough for her? That sense of achievement sounded very much like the thoughts of a simple housewife who had finished decorating the dining room. She couldn't believe that she was already thinking like that. Mr Hawkins had been so cold to her and he had such a determination to help her also. She couldn't understand why he was being so difficult but then again her gut was telling her that she knew the reason she just didn't want to admit to it because it would contradict all the reasons why she refused his help if she admitted her feelings for him were mutual. But she knew of the salary of graduates and knew it was would be a great financial strain on him if he tried to help them both. Had she done the right thing? Maybe Helen didn't need rescuing. Perhaps she had been wrong in going behind her back and determining her future. She knew that Helen was such a strong spirit she could imagine what would happen if she found out. She hoped that Mr Hawkins wouldn't tell her the truth of her good fortune. She hardly had any at all but at least they would both be a little more fortunate than they could've ended up being.

"Cass?"

She looked up and saw Helen. She saw how haunted she looked. How dead she looked in her eyes and wrapped her arms around her.

"Shhhh. It'll be alright."

"Cass...You're brother doesn't like me." She sobbed.

"It's alright. Don't you worry about a thing." She assured her. _Don't worry. Someone's watching over you. _

_A few weeks later..._

Jim still regretted leaving Cassandra with that pompous, proud-faced ass of a brother. He saw him at the state funeral and could see from the way he was handling her when they were leaving that she was right. He was nothing but a controlling, money-wanting wretch. He was even having trouble believing that he was Xavier Richardson's son. When he rode away in the carriage he was tempted to jump out, run back to the house and drag her back with him. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving her in such a life. He has escorted her to the Richardson home where she was greeted solemnly by her nursemaid who wrapped her arms around her tight in a maternal manner. He was glad in that moment that she would have someone to care for her. He wasn't so forgiving towards her brother however. He was very curt and to be frank quite rude to Jim. He had inquired as to where Helen was and Jim simply answered him that she had died on the ship. There was no sign of remorse nor regret. He simply nodded as if it was something which had been conveniently gotten rid of. In truth she was at the Benbow Inn with his mother settling a room for her to stay in the summers in between her studies. They had discovered that she had gotten into the Medical Academy. They were going inquire on a scholarship but they highly doubted that this was going to work. They could still use Doppler's connections but still...

When he arrived back home it was beginning to rain. How appropriate. His Grandmother would always tell him that when it rained it meant that someone you loved had passed or God was in mourning. Perhaps it was the former mourning for the fact that his children were opposing their father's wishes. Mostly due to the fact that the new patriarch was more in common with a dictator than with a brother. Jim wanted to go over to her and say something comforting to Cassandra but her brother had stolen her away so quickly when he reached her carriage and called out for her she was long gone. He felt like he had been shot in the chest a thousand time over with the pain becoming so numbing after a while he couldn't feeling anything at all. He stepped out of the carriage and tipped the driver who gave him a grateful smile and rode off. He turned back to his old childhood home with a sigh and ran back into the inn. Lightening flashed and the thunder boomed around him and throughout the valleys which surrounded his childhood home. It was practically empty. There was hardly a soul there. There were the odd few who noticed him and patted him on the back and shook his hand. He was polite and made small talk to hide the frustration and sadness he was feeling. He saw his mother at the desk and soon caught sight of him. She smiled at him and glided round the desk to embrace him.

"Are you alright?" She murmured. He nodded but he knew that his mother wasn't convinced.

She rubbed his back. "You did all you could. Like she told you, Jim. She'll be fine. I'm sure she will she seemed like a very capable girl."

"I know but she playing by his rules just until she can inherit the money to allow her to go to school but what if she gets so used to playing by his rules that she decides she doesn't want to go to the Interstellar Academy by the time she can."

Sarah Hawkins looked at her son sceptically. "Jim. Do you have any feelings for this girl?"

Jim blushed and looked away. "No."

"Really?"

"I think I want to go check on Helen." He lied and walked up the stairs. He swore he could hear his mother chuckling after him.

He sighed and brushed her hand through his hand as he walked down the corridor to her room. He always hated lying. He did it all the time when he was Cassandra's age but looking back on things in hindsight was always a good way to look back upon your old faults or the old habits which were better off discarding sooner rather than later. He had no idea how he was going to pull this off. He didn't know how he was going to look that girl in the face and tell her that she was never going to see her sister for many years. Until she had the courage to take her life into her own hands. He knew Cassandra would be able to do it now, whether she could inherit her money now or only in three years time. He knew the real reason why she was refusing his help. He knew he had to make sure that Helen knew nothing about how and why he was helping her. He could see that was something else Cassandra wanted of him. She didn't want Helen to know that she was giving up everything she wanted so that Helen could be free and she knew Helen wouldn't be happy about that. He knew that much from Cassandra's behaviour. He had to make up some sort of lie even knowing that one day she was going to find out the truth. Lies never stayed hidden forever. He rubbed his forehead before knocking on the door.

"Helen?"

Helen got up from her bed and spun in the direction of the door. Her eyes were red. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "Yes. It's just I miss Cassandra so much. I'm s-so grateful f-f-for you taking me in."

He shook his head. "Think nothing of it. I was aware of the position you were going to be put under and I knew I had to help."

She smiled and looked away regretfully. "I'm just sad that you were..."

"What?"

"Well that you couldn't help Cassandra." She replied in a small voice.


	13. The Montressor Academy for Young Ladies

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

A/N: Sorry for being away for so long folks! The exams are finally over! However there is going to be a three/four week gap between posting soon since I'm going to Ghana for three weeks! So there'll be no chapters for a while. I'm going to be taking a slight 'A Great and Terrible Beauty' sort of slant on the finishing school Cassandra attends since I thought the sort of language Libba Bray used was quite appropriate to this story. Anyway here you go!

The Montressor Academy for Young Ladies

For **Shining Petals**

Cassandra waited in the cold office of the headmistress of Montressor Academy for Young Ladies to arrive to give her 'a warm welcome'. From what she had heard about finishing schools and their headmistresses she knew she had to use that phrase rather loosely. This was only from common sense though not hearsay but then again you only needed common sense of figure out that. Speaking of which, when she thought about it, finishing schools in principle were supposed to teach you common sense but actually they only taught you to dismantle your own sense of the concept and depend upon that of your husbands. She looked around the office and she could tell from the decorations and design that she wasn't exactly a cheery woman and that it was likely that she had never left this school since she first arrived as a girl. She knew that some people could just never leave places. Especially old, spinster teachers. Even the name sounded cold and stifling. In sounded like a prison which was what finishing schools more or less were. You were just going from one prison to another once you walked out the gates. It was like a vicious cycle which couldn't be stopped unless its victims found a way to jump out of the currents. Instead of being at the Interstellar Academy she was sent to this one.

She looked around and felt like she was about to cry. _Don't cry now, Cassandra. You don't want her walking in on you crying. Its not the ladylike thing to do..._She thought scornfully. Instead of going to a school which could actually teach her something she was being sent to one which would lead her to a colder, darker house to breed children and knit instead of into the open sky. Even the thought of it made her want to vomit. This was what happened when you let a money-obsessed son become head of the family. But there was no one else who could become their father's heir. There was George but he was not the first son and even if father made that his will she was sure Fredrick would have found a way to fight against that wish. His problem was that he was vain and greedy which made him the perfect candidate for a troublesome older brother. She wore a black, silk dress which she had tailored almost dug into her chest considering it was the first time she had worn a corset. She ran her fingers over the delicate fabric as she stared at the desk. The dress was tight everywhere as if it was confining her to a life of misery and mourning. Her brother found it horrific that she would be attending a finishing school without one. She smirked to herself, knowing that in his own symbolic way, he was entrapping her to his will. He wanted her to grow up to be the respectable lady which would make her family a lot of money.

What he forgot was that it was he who had to give the money not the other way round when it came to marriage arrangements. It was rather foolish really but she couldn't help but feel a little amused at the fact that he was going to be in for a surprise whether she married or not. If he succeeded he would have to give up something he coveted more than anything and he would be surprised to find that his sister wasn't as submissive as other women her age. When she first put it on Cassandra felt like she had all the air in her lungs being sucked out. She felt like she was drowning and desperately swimming to the surface to regain some air. It even hurt to breathe. When Gina tied it up she gave her a pitiful look as if she was walking to her death that day. She tried to put it on a little loosely but Fredrick came in to inspect her work and asked to make it tighter.

She rode in silence with her brother, whenever he attempted to try at small talk she replied with one word answers. He knew that she never liked small talk about the rain or about how lovely the Academy was going to be. Or about the neighbours new palour. She was more concerned about politically issues..._Oh what a thought! A woman who cared about politics. Oh wait there was a member of parliament who was a woman, how did that slip Fredrick's mind?_ Silently communicating to him that she blamed him and hated him for what she was being confined to and that she was doing to fight the whole way to her prison which she would eventually escape from. The room was not only cold but the servants failed to light the fires but she could feel the eerie, dark atmosphere which hung upon the school, this room being its source. She shifted in her seat, glancing over her shoulder to the door which remained unopened.

Suddenly an old, crinkly woman walked in and Cassandra knew the moment she set eyes on her that her days at Montressors Ladies Academy was going to be long, tedious years of Hell. She was one of those women who you knew on sight who had been rejected by someone and forever hated men and wanted to make young girls lives a torment before they went out to be rejected themselves. She was going to be counting the days when she would be able to leave and never come back. When she came in she more burst into the room and slapped the door into the wall making Cassandra jump. She was going to have to make sure that she didn't vex this woman in particular. She strode past her without even greeting her and glided into her seat. She looked down at the papers in her hands for a few minutes then looked at Cassandra or more peered down at her as if she were some specimen in a lab. In these moments Cassandra looked around the room trying to avoid her gaze. It was rather plain actually. It had only emerald greens, deep violets and plain dark browns blotched around. They were pretty colours but they were the only ones in the room. It was very dull, depressing and dark. She supposed that this was a supposed to be a perfect reflection of the woman sitting in front of her.

There was a small, simple mirror hanging off the wall to her right and a few drawers dotted around and some pictures Cassandra presumed were past headmistresses. She raised an eyebrow wondering how cliched this school was going to be. She was going to have to expect some cult-ish society which had been around for decades of this school being open which the teachers pretended they knew nothing about when in reality they had been part of it themselves. Or maybe it was haunted? She could see she was going to have a lot of fun ridiculing the school's system. Cassandra sighed quietly and turned her eye to the woman sitting in front of her. She was wearing a bland, grey suit with half-moon glasses perched on the end of her nose, Cassandra was almost worried that they were going to slip straight off her nose. However she knew she would be reprimanded if she said anything. She had dark, sharp green eyes which reminded her of a cat and a youthful but wrinkled face which had been worn out by tiredness and malice. After a few minutes she looked up finally. It was as if she had just noticed that Cassandra was there or remembered that she was coming to her school. She didn't apologise for keeping her waiting or smile at her. Instead she surveyed her with a critical eye and then nodded curtly as if she somewhat approved of her dress and appearance.

"It is a surprise, Miss Richardson that your father hadn't sent you to us sooner than this. Most families do, you understand." She added sympathetically.

Translation: _What on earth has your father been doing with you? You'll no prospects whatsoever, don't worry we'll turn you into a proper lady in no time at all. It's still not too late to get you married to a respectable rich man who may possibly force you to go through six pregnancies and overlook a few affairs he may have throughout your entire marriage which is under no circumstances is an excuse for you to divorce him. Since that is not the lady-like thing to do._

"Of course you had a governess as you were growing up." She considered thoughtfully.

Translation: _Therefore, w__e'll have to beat those habits your governess has obviously got you into the hang of._

Cassandra shook her head. "No. In fact my father taught me. Astronomy, Sciences, Geography, Languages and other such things."

The woman, aka Miss Henderson, aka the woman who is going to make Cassandra's life a living Hell for the next few years raised her eyebrows. She almost looked impressed.

"Most of those subjects aren't necessary for a young lady such as yourself to learn. However I'd be interested in knowing what languages you speak."

"Oh? I speak Gaian and Norvian fluentlyand I speak a little Karan." She replied.

"Ah. That is quite impressive. We do not teach Norvian but Karan is available. Tell me what level would you say you were at?"

Cassandra completely blanked. "Um...Level 2 or 3. I'm not quite sure."

"Well Level 5 is fluently. Level 2 is small talk and being able to say what your interests are."

"I would say Level 3, Miss Henderson."

"Very well, other languages we teach here also include Gaian which by the sound of things you don't need lessons for. There's also Yjai which is compulsory and Celesti. How is your sewing?"

Cassandra shrugged her shoulders which earned her a disapproving glance. "Fairly basic."

"Hm. We will have to mend that, Miss Richardson. How able the Arts? Do you sing? Draw?"

Cassandra knew now that she would have to try _very _hard not to roll her eyes. She had never been asked about this before in her life until now and she could see why it was until now she had been asked. Because it was a pointless question which had no basis for whether she had any prospects to offer for a favourable future. The last time she checked it wasn't necessary for a woman to have to do these kinds of things but as it seemed this wasn't necessarily the case. Not in the realm of finishing schools anyway. Therefore in her books she was right from her presumptions from before. They really didn't matter so she could lack in co-operating with the teachers. Hooray! There was some accomplished women who got by without having to play a tune or draw a pretty picture. She wondered whether Miss Henderson had heard of any of these women. Such as doctors or Space Captains for example. She was sure that there were even some women who were married who weren't able to do either of those things as well. Last time she checked the best way to judge whether you wanted to marry a man was because you loved him not because he based his affections upon you because of your drawing skills.

"Neither, Miss Henderson."

Miss Henderson sighed. "How about dancing?"

"I've never even been to a ball, Miss."

"Well at your age this isn't a surprise. We also have a block where you choose a sport. The choices are lacrosse, archery, horse riding and badminton."

"Archery. Please."

"Very well. It will be a small class."

"That's fine." She replied with a smile which soon disappeared when Miss Henderson looked up again.

"You will have to take up an Art, Miss Richardson. One which will require you to take up extra time but thankfully since you speak one of the three compulsory languages fluently you will have time for that and once you are up to speed with those in your year group you will attend lessons with them."

"I see. Well, I played a few notes of the piano if that is any help."

"We teach piano here." Miss Henderson replied hopefully. "Well, you will put you on for that. There is also Literature and Elocution will this be a problem, Miss Richardson?"

She shook her head wordlessly then blurted out Miss Henderson when she gave her a look.

"Very well. I am sorry for the passing of your father I heard he was a good man by reputation."

"And a good father." Cassandra replied. Miss Henderson nodded in approval to the young woman's diligence.

"I also heard you were raised without a mother for the past few years." Cassandra nodded.

"Yes. She died in childbirth to my younger sister, Victoria."

"No doubt she will be joining us in a few years time." Miss Henderson replied. Cassandra gave a faint smile secretly hoping that this wouldn't be the case.

"It was a very tragic way for you to lose your parents. I believe you were on the voyage your father was killed in." Cassandra nodded wondering where this was going. "It must have been rather traumatic."

Cassandra narrowed her eyes at her. _What did she just say? _She knew she would probably be scolded for the thoughtless, gormless expression on her face but she at least had a good reason for her to not pay any mind to how she looked at that moment. If she was trying to be sympathetic she was doing a poor job at her current occupation. Or she should never have distraught girls sent to her. She was going to have to make a mental note of that, which also meant she had to find someone who she would being sent for if it ever happened. What she was going which just rubbing it in. Perhaps she was trying to get her to cry then she would comfort her, tell her that everything was going to be alright. She would be able to abandon her heathen ways and she would become a young lady, marry a 'nice' and most importantly rich man and she would have her happy ending. So to speak. Only in terms of financial happiness not actual, emotional happiness. She was probably more likely to become an alcoholic than a whore who waited around a bar.

"I think its traumatic no matter what the nature of a loved ones death is." Cassandra countered. "I think its tragic that it was the one voyage I had been waiting for to go with my father which very well might be my last. My father told me many stories about it and I hoped one day I might accompany him."

"Really? What a queer thing. Usually that is a profession for a man to take up."

Cassandra tilted her head and resisted the urge to either scream or punch this woman square in the face.

Translation: _You must be a barbarian in comparison to the rest of our boarding school girls. I'm going to keep a sharp eye on you in case you prove to be a bad influence. _

"On the contrary, I believe there are many women now in the Space exploring field of work." She replied.

"Not many but there are some. Still, I rather think that women and men have always had their places in this society and it should remain that way. Any how it is time you went to your room where you should situate yourself."

Cassandra nodded and got to her feet. Miss Henderson raised her hand and gesture for her to sit down again. "Um, Miss Richardson, you wait before I dismiss you."

Cassandra tried not to scream at the woman and sat back down. She only had to wait for a split second until the old, infernal woman issued her command. "You may go."

Cassandra couldn't have got out of that room quicker.


	14. Settling In

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Settling In

For **Shining Petals**

A short, pudgy woman with a country accent led Cassandra down the corridors to her room. When she was first introduced to her by an equally rude, harsh sounding teacher Cassandra gave her a sweet, reassuring smile as if to tell her that she wasn't nearly as snotty as the other teachers and possibly other students here. She reminded Cassandra of Gina. She had the same no nonsense attitude which made her smile and was likely to chide her for having ink on her fingertips. She hoped that she and this woman would be good friends. She could imagine herself as sitting in the kitchens helping her with any chores she had been given while she told her about her life. There were girls of all ages running past her, arm in arm with other girls. Some of them looked close to Victoria's age and she sighed. She knew Fredrick would send her as soon as he could. She would protect her from all of this if she could and she hoped she could keep her sister away when she could become an independent woman. Some glanced at her with some interest knowing that she had not been seen here before. Doubtless that her arrival had been announced before she was even told that she was going there. She hated gossip and she knew that for as long as she would be here she would have to put up with it.

She turned to the maid who was looking at her for a moment with sympathy clouding her eyes. Everyone could see from her dress that she was in mourning. She had done so for her mother and she was certainly going to signify the death of her father by this simple act of loyalty and remembrance. She must've known why she was in mourning. She looked at her hesitantly and introduced herself. In return this maid introduced herself as Nell. She had golden brown ringlets threatening to escape from her cap and bounced whenever she shouted at someone for running too fast or as she walked down the corridor. She looked a good deal older than Cassandra but still nowhere near the age Cassandra could consider her an aunt or Grandmother. Then again Gina wasn't that much older than Cassandra. Cassandra almost struggled keeping up with her in her shoes despite the fact that Nell was much shorter than she was. Cassandra almost felt awkward with her sudden tall-ness. There was a particular girl with pale blonde, wavy hair and clear, pale skin eyeing her from a distance. She smirked at her maliciously and whispered to her red-haired friend who then gave her a look of disapproval. She sighed knowing that she was making enemies already due to being the slaves to gossip.

"Here you are, Miss. The porters brought up your luggage as well. So you're not to worry."

"Thank you. You've been very kind." She replied.

Nell touched her by the arm in sudden affection and walked away. Cassandra turned back to the empty room and sighed at the state of her surroundings. There were two windows which loomed over two beds, one which had her luggage placed by it. There was a wash basin on a set of draws at the end of her bed and a single bedside table which separated the two bed with a single oil lamp set on top. Those were the only surfaces that they had in the room. She had no idea how she were going to send her sisters and brother letter. She certainly wasn't going to make it a chore of sending Fredrick letters. She would only go to great lengths for Helen, George and Victoria. The wall was a plain, cream colour which made her feel even more depressed that she was in the room with Miss Henderson. There was hardly any light shining through the window despite the curtains being drawn. She threw herself onto it and sighed. _Piano practice. Archery. Celesti. Karan. Yjai. Literature. Elocution. Dancing. This is going to be fun._ She hated it here before even attending lessons. Why did her brother have to be so cruel to her and make her go through this door burst open and a young woman about the same age as she rushed into the room. She had strawberry blonde, curly hair and bright blue eyes which reminded her of sapphires. She was a little taller than Cassandra and was skinnier.

"I'm so sorry. I had to leave my lessons early so that I could be here before you arrived! I'm so sorry I left you here waiting!" She cried frantically.

Cassandra gave this girl a sympathetic look and shook her head. "There is no need to worry I haven't been here long. I'm Cassandra Richardson." She greeted holding out her hand.

The girl hesitated and eventually shook her hand. It seemed evident that shaking hands was an alien concept here also.

"Diana Firestone. It's an absolute pleasure to meet you."

Cassandra had heard a little about the Firestone family. She wasn't sure where, her father probably met the head of the family at a ball or social gathering of some sort of talked to him for a while. He was likely to be some who was reasonable pleasant. The current head she could only presume was Diana's father was a member of the government and a rather unconventional man from what she had heard. Some other people had talked about him, like her brother for instance, now she remembered why she recalled him. It was her brother babbling on about the high in society daughters who were attending the school. He was likely to be hinting at the people he wanted her to be associated with. When she heard her brother speak like this she began to question what on earth happened in the gene pool. Neither their mother or father behaved in such a manner. It was probably boarding school's bad influence. She turned away from these thoughts and tried to recall what she had been told about the Firestone family and whether she should avoid or become close friends with Diana. The family apparently had hares, cats, dogs, birds of every kind for pets and loitering about the house. Some even just came in and out of the home and back into the wild. It sounded like quite a bizarre but interesting upbringing. Cassandra was far from being able to lie about that with concerns to her upbringing.

"Thank you it's also a pleasure to meet you also. You're the second welcoming person I've met here today."

"Oh no surely everyone has been friendly and warm here today."

"Well if you call looking in your direction suspiciously while whispering into another's ear being welcoming there have been a few people doing that."

"Oh my! I have no idea why! Well except...for the death of your father. We were told that your father had passed away and then it was found out why he came to pass and I suppose this was why."

"I see. Well-" Then a tall, black haired girl burst into the room.

She had a white, very tight fitting dress on with floral patterns which made her look skeletal it was so tight. She had her dark hair piled up on the top of her head like a huge bush of curls.

"Diana! You'll never guess what-" Then she stopped when she found a new face standing in her friends dormitory. "Er- Are you the new student who's arrived?"

Cassandra stepped forward. "Yes. I'm Cassandra Richardson. A pleasure to meet you." She shook her hand, seeing that this girl seemed more confident with shaking hands she supposed it was Diana's shy demeanour which caused her to behave the way she did.

"Sophia Caliber. I'm sure you've heard of my father Captain Caliber, considering that both our fathers followed in the same profession."

"What was your father's first name?" She inquired.

"Lord Michael Caliber." She replied.

"Ah Yes. My father mentioned him during the Celestial Wars. He told me your father was a good fighter but a terrible navigator."

Sophia laughed heartily. "It's sounds like you have the right man in mind. Bless him. Oh he would be so glad to meet Captain Richardson's daughter. You must meet him on-" Then she stopped and looked away with a guilty expression on her face.

"What is it?"

"Well there is a...Visiting day. Or visiting days throughout the year for parents and family to visit and well since both your mother and father are gone..."

"No. No. There are still my brothers to come visit. However its likely that only my brother George will visit. If he can."

"Oh but you must spend time with our families." Sophia cried desperately, clinging onto her shoulders. Cassandra leaned back slightly.

_You've only just met me and you're already acting like a clingy, over-protective friend. What are you going to be like after I've known you for a few weeks? _She thought worriedly.

"Very well." She replied trying to ease herself out of Sophia's grip which proved to be rather difficult.

She saw that these were the girls she was likely to be willing to become associated with at the school. Diana came across as a quiet but considerate woman, someone who reminded her very much of her mother only her mother was more confident. Diana came across as being rather timid. Whereas Sophia was anything but and Cassandra always admired a little bit of spirit in a woman. From what she had seen on the way to her room she knew that it was going to be difficult in trying to fit in with the social norms in terms of interests and topics of conversation. At least these two young women came across as having interests other than Miss Templeton's new hat or whether Lady Anne had run off with the butler. She couldn't abide gossip, talk of dresses and fashion were best kept to questions which only required one word answers and conversations about romance bored her. She could see that being friends with Diana and Sophia was going to be much easier as the occurrences of these topics of conversation might be more unlikely in comparison to being friends with other people in the school. Diana seemed to be sweet, gentle character who didn't let her social standing intimidate anyone. Her shy disposition took care of that. Then there was Sophia she came across as a confident young woman who was in the same position as Cassandra. She didn't deserve to be in a finishing school. Neither of them did.

She could imagine Sophia Caliber taking in charge of a ship single-handedly. She was tall enough, she looked like she was around five foot nine and had a blunt, straight-forward personality. At least Cassandra wouldn't have to feel like a complete bean pole anymore. She still had some growing to so, (according to Gina her mother was a very tall woman and so was her father which didn't seem to bode well for having a small, tiny like posture which men seemed to favour in women). Also she could imagine her being able to scare off any band of pirates with her booming voice and intimidating manner. Cassandra wasn't intimidated much but standing next to Sophia made her feel a little bit threatened as well as being in awe of her. And it had nothing to do with her height. She seemed quite maternal also, well the way that she behaved towards Cassandra's situation on visiting days was enough proof for that. She wrapped her arms around Diana's thin shoulders and rested her head against hers which made Cassandra smile at their sisterly relationship.

"Ah this must be Miss Cassandra Richardson." Said a silky voice from the doorway.

All eyes turned to find the blonde haired girl from the corridor. She set her eyes maliciously on the newcomer and walked towards her followed by her red-haired friend.

"I'm Aurelia Felnela. Perhaps you've heard of my father. Lord and Captain Felnela."

Cassandra pretended to ponder on this name and shook her head. "No. I don't seem to recall the name at all and my father told me so many stories about his travels and experiences so it is unlikely they have met."

"Oh they met. During the Celestial Wars apparently."

"The Celestial Wars." Cassandra murmured with a frown on her face. "Are you sure? My father told me about this experiences in great detail during that time. Although, he may have been referring him by another name. You see, there were some soldiers he had to work alongside he cared little for and he may have been one of them. Even the one who may have been the sole reason for losing the Battle of Scorpio."

Aurelia gave her a even look before she left. "Perhaps...you could be thinking of someone else." She curtsied and left the room.

Sophia wrapped an arm around her and laughed. "I have never seen Aurelia Felnela be spoken to so before. I can see great things for you Miss Richardson."

"Well hopefully not confined within these walls Miss Caliber. I have much higher hopes, believe me."

"Is it true what you said? That he father was responsible for the defeat?"

"Ah yes he was. Captain Felnela sent too many men in when it was doing them no good." There was a sad expression shadowed over her face as she thought of her father. "It was quite tragic actually."


	15. Selina

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

A/N: I just wanted to apologise for the glitch on the last chapter, thankfully I was able to sort it out. I kept deleting the chapter and inserting the right one but it did no good so I think I changed the title and then it was immediately fixed so...that was weird. Anyway here you go!

Selina

For **awesmninja**

It wasn't until the next day when Cassandra met the third and possibly most scandalous of the group of friends she had made at Monstressor Academy. She didn't know it the moment that she met her but she would soon become a lifelong friend from that day onwards. Selina Gondola. She had heard the name being whispered a few times over the past few hours she had been there so she could presume that she the kind of young woman who conjured up was quite a lot of gossip. When Sophia mentioned her Cassandra made the comment of this observation earning her a roll of the eyes and an explanation for everyone's behaviour. Selina Gonolda was the daughter of a famous courtesan Katherina Gonolda and of the infamous Lord Harkwright, who turned out to be the father of the red-headed sidekick of Miss Aurelia Felnela. She could see now why she looked down upon those such as Diana and Sophia due to their acquaintance with Miss Selina. However what Cassandra couldn't understand was why Aurelia stuck up her nose and not her friend. It should really be her friend, Isadora who should be behaving in such a manner. She hadn't heard much about Selina Gonolda herself but she had heard plenty of her parents affair. It began when Ms Gondolda was only nineteen when she met Lord Harkwright who was a few years her senior if she had heard correctly.

Cassandra wasn't one for gossip but one couldn't help hearing it if people were 'whispering' in loud, hissing voices you had no control over whether you overheard what was being said about the person in question. Due to this she wasn't going to allow it to affect her opinion of Selina or her mother. She was going to wait until she met them before she could judge them. There was also another reason why this long affair was being subjected to gossip. Their affair ended quite recently but had given the woman enough to provide for his illegitimate child to continue attending Monstressor Ladies. Of course this was Selina Gondola they were referring to and of course, she was sure there were many students and mothers who wished that she would be unable to attend due to the nature of her coming into the world. Not that it was in any way her fault. In these affairs it was best not to blame anyone for such a thing, otherwise it would make it seem as if it was a crime for her to even exist. Social convention would tell Cassandra to completely shun her and stick up her nose but she was not raised by her mother and father to do so. They told her that no matter where a child had come from you should judge them on their conduct and their character, not their origins.

She first saw Selina when she was eating dinner with Diana and Sophia. Nothing was announced to indicate to her entrance it was the mere sound of her footsteps amongst the long tables. She made heads turn not just because of her beauty but also because of her reputation. Everyone questioned not her but each other as to where she had been for the past few days. Whether she was spending time with her own lover or had been seeing something perfectly reasonable like visiting family. Most people, unlike Cassandra assumed the former rather than the latter. However it wasn't her reputation which captivated Cassandra, it was her beauty. She had the most beautiful red hair she had ever seen. She could guess quite accurately that this was a trait inherited by both the half-sisters from the only parent they shared. There weren't a lot things that they shared from what she later found out but their red hair had to be at least the on inevitable thing they were going to share other than having the same father. Where it looked dull and washed out on Isadora it was dark, bright and shining on Selina. Isadora had blotchy, freckled skin whereas Selina had clear, pale, smooth looking skin. Isadora was small, awkward and rather chubby whereas Selina was tall, had the body of a ballerina and graceful. She walked across the hall as if she were gliding or flying. She gently set herself down next to Sophia and rested her chin on fist.

"Hello darlings." She greeted. "How have you fared after my absence?"

This was Cassandra Richardson's introduction to Selina Gonolda. She smirked as she thought it was the most original and interesting. Those few words summed up her character and Cassandra wasn't usually a good judge of character. Sometimes she didn't even care much for people. Selina was different. She knew in that moment that they were going to be life-long friends. She had never met a woman like her and it was always best to have friends of all different levels of temperament and character. Not a lot of people like Selina stumbled in her society, well not with her brother dominating over it. He would rather bring in the likes of Isadora and Aurelia. He would even attempt to marry them. Just imagine having one of the them practically rule over her life. She shivered at the thought. No she had a plan. It would never come to that. But what of Victoria? She would retrieve her from such a life. She was a vain, passionate young woman she could tell that by a mile. Vanity being the one personality trait which dominated her character the most of all but what was wrong with having that in a friend? Surely it wouldn't harm her in having one friend like this. For all she knew Selina might not like her and that would be the end of that but she came across as the sort of person who liked anyone so long as they didn't rebuke her or was rude to her face.

Sophia raised an eyebrow. "Perfectly well, my dear. We've had a new arrival to preoccupy us while you were away."

Selina's eyes immediately turned to Cassandra and she leaned forward with an inquisitive eye. "Ah. Well it is always wonderful to see a new face around here. I am sure you have heard the rumours about me." She purred.

Cassandra stared back evenly and nodded. "I have." She replied bluntly.

Selina raised an eyebrow at her bluntness, which made her all the more inclined to continue her interrogation. "And what do you think of my mothers actions, Miss...?"

"Cassandra Richardson." She replied.

Selina gave her a thoughtful look over her mourning clothes and knew which Cassandra Richardson with the gossip she had heard. Cassandra took a deep breath and continued.

"Are you asking me this thinking it may reflect my opinion of you, Miss Gonolda?"

Selina laughed heartily making heads turn again. "Miss Cassandra, very to the point. Very blunt. I suppose that has always been the case with most people." She replied.

Cassandra shook her head. "Well I am afraid that you are about to be disappointed for my view of your mothers relationship with your father doesn't reflect my opinion of you at all."

"Not in the slightest?" She probed.

"On the contrary, I have no opinion of you because I do not know you." Selina smirked and took a bite of Cassandra's porridge.

"Well I suppose we will have to mend that, Miss Cassandra. I heard your father died on a voyage you were on. I'm sorry."

Cassandra's expression faltered slightly but she shook her head. "Thank you. Not a lot of people have offered their condolences rather they look in my direction with slanted eyes and whisper behind their manicured hands."

Selina chuckled. "I can see that we are going to get along quite nicely, Miss Cassandra. You are a woman after my own heart."

"What did I tell you Diana." Sophia joked. "These two would get along like long lost relatives."

Diana smiled weakly and glanced in the direction of Aurelia and Isadora. Selina followed her gaze and gave her a stern but maternal look.

"Don't be bothered by them." She whispered and turned back to Cassandra. "I presume you've met those two vipers."

"Yes. They even came into our room to give me a warm greeting." Cassandra replied with a hint of sarcasm Selina could easily pick up.

"Of course." Selina coughed. "That is always been their method of making sure everyone knows their place here however since we are so like-minded Cassandra I can imagine that you are certainly not going to remain in your place." She added with a smirk which was returned.

Sophia watched the exchange silently knowing it was best to remain out of it for the time being. She looked away and resumed eating her dinner but the thoughts circulating in her mind wouldn't go away. She couldn't help but wonder why someone like Cassandra and another like Selina would become such fast friends. Most of the time, people like that, if they were going to be friends at all it at least took them a few weeks to take to each other. Sophia only said that they would be like long lost relatives just to be polite. She could see that these two were going to bring havoc to the school. With Cassandra's unconventional views which she no doubt made aware of to the headmistress and Selina's character they were going to prove to be a destructive presence at the school. There was a hierarchy which every kept in balance. Selina rebelled against it in her own way but she was rebelling against it alone. Now that she would have an accomplice in her schemes she would completely unbalance it. Then again when she first saw Cassandra and spoke to her she had a feeling she was going to change a few things in the school. When she watched her defiantly speak back to Aurelia Felnela she knew she was a young woman who knew her mind. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind.

"Now, now Selina." Sophia chided. "You are going to become a bad influence upon this young lady."

"Ha! She is already corrupted. She had no intention of marrying a rich man and giving him children. I'm sorry, dearest, but I simply cannot imagine you becoming a housewife."

Cassandra laughed. "That's perfectly fine. I had no intention of becoming one. Neither did my father."

"Really? What intention did he have with you then?" Selina asked suspiciously.

"He was going to help me get into the Interstellar Academy. I think he knew before I did that I wanted to be a Space Captain like him but he died and my brother has much more conventional views."

Selina nodded. "I see. Do you have any more siblings?"

"Yes. I have another brother, George. Who would be more sympathetic and helpful if he were the elder son but is not unfortunately. Then there is my young sister, Victoria. She is six now and such a dear little thing. It pained me to have to leave her. Then there is my adopted sister, Helen. She..." Then she stopped and gulped.

She had not thought about Helen for some time now. She was ashamed at herself that she had only thought of her own situation and not wondered or even wrote a letter to ask how she was. She was going to the moment she was able to. She turned back to them and plastered a smile on her face.

"She is living with a friend. My brother, Fredrick...didn't get along with her."

"Ah, I see." Selina replied understandingly.

"Hopefully she will be attending the Medical Academy by now. To become a doctor."

"Another woman after my heart." Selina declared. "I will have to meet this sister of yours, Cassandra."

"Don't worry. You will be doubtlessly introduced in the future." She replied with a smirk on her face.


	16. The Burden Women Bare

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I haven't written anything in a while. As some of you may know there is a good reason for this being that I have been in Ghana on a voluntary trip for three weeks. You would also like to know that I still remained dedicated to my duties as a writer and planned the next fews chapters not just for this story but to all the others that I'm presently working on. I also want to thank everyone for their reviews while I was away.

The Burden Women Bare

For **Ketsuko Kyo**

_A week later..._

Selina and Cassandra became instant friends for life over the course of the next week however due to having a similar timetable made it easier for them to become closer. Unlike Diana and Sophia, Selina took up archery as her exercise and was able to help Cassandra with her technique and boasted that evening that by weeks end she was able to turn Cassandra into such a great archer that even Artemis would envy her talent. The two would walk out through the corridors with their arms linked through one anothers some people would have thought they had known one another since they were children. Diana and Sophia had taken up the gentler sport of Badminton and always expressed concern over their choice of sport in their timetable. Selina and Cassandra would always make jokes while in classes wondering whether Diana or Sophia would be approving how close they were to the target or the sort of stance they took before firing. During these lessons she always felt a painful stab in her chest as the closer she became to Selina the further away she felt from Helen. She had sent her letters still but she still missed that physical presence that would bring her comfort.

None of the other girls took up Piano practice and she didn't blame them either. She loved playing the piano as she discovered but she didn't agree with the tutor who had been assigned to her. Unlike her Archery instructor, Miss Price who was laid-back and friendly, Mr Williams was moody and strict. He had a cane to whip her fingers with it she went off note or wasn't sitting up straight. She also noticed that his eyes would occasionally wonder down the front of her dress which made her wonder whether he was there for some income or for something else. She had made a little improvement over the week but she knew that improvement would be greater if she had a more patient teacher. Her languages teacher, Madam Rochford absolutely adored her since she picked up on the new languages very easily except for Celesti which she found to be too flowery and prissy. However her gift for the other languages overtook that somewhat. Sewing, dancing and elocution was lead by the same teacher, Mrs Kingston who was widowed just a few months after being married and now poured all her energies into improving her girl's chances at a better marriage than her own. Her literature, Miss Smith was a different matter. She talked with such passion Cassandra could've fallen in love with her.

She had never seen such a passionate woman in the institution and she made her care for the characters or hate them. She made her appreciate the power words could have over the character, setting and most importantly, the reader. She walked down the corridor in her nightdress after bidding Selina and Sophia goodnight knowing the consequences of staying in other girls dorms for too long. She knew that if Aurelia had the chance she would try to get her into trouble by any means possible. She had heard enough rumours which warned her not to bend the rules too much. She had heard that one girl stayed too long in another's all night and the next day they were both dismissed to different schools upon the grounds that their relationship may have been much more intimate that society would've desired. Cassandra shook her head at hearing such a rumour finding it amazing now that women were allowed the choices they were permitted to make and there were still these rules and principles at institutions such as this. When she heard about this it didn't make her shiver with disgust or fear. It didn't make her feel anything at all. This made her even more determined to pursue her ambitions and in turn to prevent her sister from coming here. She slid into her dorm and hurried to her bed, candlestick in hand. She placed it carefully on her bedside and slipped into bed. She turned to Diana who looked more withdrawn than usual. Cassandra frowned and leaned over.

"Diana?" No response and raised her voice slightly but not loud enough for the house mistress to come in and box her ears for being too loud. "Diana."

Diana jumped in her bed and gave her a startled look. "Yes?"

Cassandra gave her an amused and worried smile. "Are you alright? You seem light years away at the moment."

Diana nodded with an uncertain, brief smile on her face and turned back to what was in her hand. Cassandra tilted her head slightly to see what it was, which in fact turned out to be a letter. She glanced at her friend wondering whether there had been news of a death in the family, after all her brother was in the Space force as well as her brothers.

"Diana." She began. Diana looked up with a distracted look on her face. "You do know you can tell me anything can't you? That I'll be here for you if you need to talk about anything or need a shoulder to cry on."

Diana nodded hurriedly and turned back to the letter again. Cassandra smirked knowing that this was falling upon deaf ears. She wanted her to know that she wanted to help her through anything like that but she knew deep down she was too afraid to make a promise like that. She could see it in her eyes. After a while of reading the letter Cassandra had read two chapters of the book she had been given for Literature where she came to the conclusion considering the length of the chapters themselves that Diana who was still reading the letter which wasn't that long that she must've read the letter a thousand times over. She knew something was wrong and she was going to do something only Selina would do. She would find out by any means possible. She was always the one who would rush up to the group with some new, scandalous rumour which was spreading across the school. Sophia and Diana would pay attention but Cassandra would always be more engrossed by something she was reading or a new assignment she had to do for one of her classes, which would earn her a disapproving look from Selina. Soon after losing her patience Cassandra slammed the book shut and walked over to Diana's bed.

"Diana." She began, her voice was grave. "What's the matter?"

Her reaction was slow. First she stared into space for what seemed like hours to Cassandra. She crawled over her bed and went to hers. She was afraid of getting too close to her in case she startled her, she wasn't exactly as liberal minded as Cassandra and Selina and she might take it the wrong way. Then her eyes seemed to go dead for a moment, Cassandra was afraid that she was going to fall out the bed and suddenly appear dead. She looked so pale and lifeless. Her shoulders began to quiver as if shivering at a bitter cold wind in the coldest corners of the galaxy. A sob escaped from the back of her throat which soon turned into a howl and tears began to spill out of her eyes. Cassandra automatically wrapped her arms around her, not just to comfort her but also to smother the abominable sounds Diana was making. She didn't want the house mistress coming in here interfering it want was evidently a delicate situation. She stroked her hair gently and shushed her, whispering comforting words into her ear. She rocked her from side to side as if a mother was calming down her newborn.

"It's alright." She whispered. "Whatever it is, it's going to be alright."

"N-n-no its n-not." Diana sobbed. "It isn't. There's no way to resolve this unless I do as she tells me."

Cassandra held her by the shoulders and stared intently at Diana. "Who?"

"My grandmother." She answered. "She's just written to me to tell me." Sob. "That." Sob. "I'm betrothed."

Cassandra blinked. "To who?"

Diana threw out her arms. "I only know him by name! He's a Duke from some other galaxy and I've never met him in my life! I don't want to marry someone without meeting them before the wedding."

"Well of course." Cassandra agreed. "That's reasonable. You should tell her that."

Diana shook her head. "I can't. She threatened my father that unless I didn't marry the man of her choosing she would cut off the household income."

Cassandra closed her eyes and shook her head. "I don't understand. Your father is a prominent figure in parliament. Surely money isn't an issue here."

She shook her head. "No. We live in such a grand place thanks to her income. He gives most of the money to..."

"Who? Who does he give the money to?"

Diana looked up, her eyes were red and soaked with tears. "If I tell you, do you promise not to tell another soul."

Cassandra took her hand and gripped it tightly. "Of course. Of course. I would never tell another soul."

"My aunt married a man of small fortune much to my grandmother's dismay. She and her husband

had very little to live on and were always travelling but still my father gave them money on a monthly basis so that they could survive. It is not much but still and of course there is our education to worry about as well. My grandmother knew how he was spending the money but she didn't care. She knew that if she had something to threaten him with now she could have her way with at least of her children."

"But Diana you would be marrying a man you hardly know. Surely your father wouldn't want that." Cassandra reasoned.

Diana shook her head. "No. He must never know of this sacrifice I am making and I must make you take another oath. You must swear to tell no one of this."

"Not even Selina or Sophia?"

"I will tell them on my own accord I assure you. Anyway, we will not be married for many years to come. I can at least have some comfort in that."

Cassandra tilted her head and gave her friend a sympathetic smile. "Maybe this Duke is old and will die before you reach the alter."

Diana burst into fits of laughter at this joke. "No. I shouldn't laugh at that. You shouldn't wish people dead." She wiped her tears away and looked up at Cassandra with a hopeful expression on her face.

"Anyway, I am not the only woman carrying this burden. There have been many others before me who have had to go through the same predicament as I have."

"You shouldn't have to though." Cassandra saw from the expression on her friends face that her words were wasted. "Anyway, you should get some sleep."

Diana nodded in agreement and began to lay down but before closing her eyes she looked up at Cassandra intently.

"Cassandra, you will marry one day? It's not such a bad thing."

Cassandra thought about this for a moment and then a faint smile appeared on her lips when she thought of a particular man who still seemed to have a place in her heart.

"Perhaps." She answered and wondered back to her own bed.

As she laid in her bed she stared up at the ceiling thinking how she and Diana seem to have more in common than she thought. She would never had thought so nor would she had thought that she would ever arrive at this conclusion when she first met her. Not this was intended as an insult. She just knew that they were so different in personalities, opinions and temperaments. She was submitting to her grandmother's demands in order to protect her family. She was doing this so that she could not only protect her future but also her sisters. She was going to do everything in her power to make sure that she never had the face the only choice rather than having a world filled with them. They deserved that. She was willing to condemn herself to a life of solitude and imprisonment in order to protect her family's interests. She was wondering whether they deserved such devotion from something like Diana. She was someone who could be easily manipulated into submitting to anyone's will. She just didn't know how to protect herself from the world. Cassandra was sacrificing her freedom so that Helen would be free to have her own. She began to wonder whether when you are willing to sacrifice yourself for another being that you may be able to achieve true grace.

~ (***) ~

Nell got a sudden start when she heard someone banging at the door. She thought that it was a flash of lightening followed by a rolling thunder which echoed throughout the open, empty hills which surrounded the Academy. She had been here for thirty years and this place still frightened her. There were things which told her that more things had happened between these walls which cared to see the light of day. Some dark secrets which the teachers here were determined to remain secrets which they would take with them to their graves...After a moment to collect herself the banging became more insistent and went from being startled to being annoyed. She swung her legs out of bed and stomped down the stairs. She began muttering things, curses and threats she was going to make to the girls who were probably tormenting her, to herself as she made her way to the door. It was probably one of the girls pulling a prank on her. Although there was something which was telling her that it was the contrary. She would be able to hear them giggling by now...

She got to the door and was tempted to call out to see who it was and whether they would answer. She knew that if there was no answer or something which sounded like a young girl trying to impersonate a ghost she knew there would be no point in opening the door. She took a deep breath and found someone on her doorstep. She was dripping wet but she didn't seem at all concerned by this. She had a trench coat on which would be pulling down on a weaker and frailer woman but she had such an imposing presence that she didn't seem to notice the added weight made by the drops of falling rapidly from the sky. Nell gave her look and considered whether she should actually let her in.

"Can I help you?" She asked nervously.

"I hope so." She replied surly. She handed her a piece of paper. "There is a student here, her name is Cassandra Richardson are you familiar with her?"

Nell nodded nervously. "Yes."

The faceless woman nodded. "Good. I would like you to write to this address about her welfare. Whether there is anything that I should be...informed of and to never tell her about this communication between the both of us. Am I clear?"

"Yes, but before I even consider doing this I want to know who you are and why you're so concerned with that poor girl." She demanded in a shaky voice.

"Because like you I worry about her. She is someone who means more to me than I can admit."

"And why is that?"

The other woman was quiet for a moment. Nell thought for a moment that she had seen her face but it must have only been for a moment or just her imagination but she looked a lot like Cassandra Richardson herself. Was she a relative?

"Because I made a promise to someone that I would never let my existence be made known to her and considering that this certain person is dead...It makes the contract all the more binding."

Nell took another forward and narrowed her eyes. "Do I know you?"

The woman chuckled. "Maybe. Maybe not." And on that note she turned around and ran off back into the night before Nell could stop her...


	17. Visiting Day

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Visiting Day

For **WolfiesLittleMoon**

_A month later..._

Cassandra couldn't decide whether this was going to be the most depressing day of her life or the most eventful one. She wanted to opt for both but she knew that she had to go one way or the other since life was never like that. She was now in the midst of parents, relatives or guardians having cups of tea with their daughters on their visit day. There were smiles and the sounds of laughter being played amongst the rooms like an orchestra boomed across an opera house. She was not infected by this happiness but more it brought the sadness which she buried deep within her and hid with a kind, sweet smile. She knew that Fredrick was as likely to appear as there was to find a shooting star soaring across the sky two nights in a row. She may have been expecting George to come but he sent a letter telling her that he wouldn't be able to attend the visit day until the next one in January due to clashing with his timetable. At least he had a good excuse. Fredrick didn't even send a letter to say whether he could come or not. So because of this she had to make a compromise with speaking and spending time with Sophia, Selina and Diana's family in order of how long their relatives should stay. Understandably it was Selina's mother she spent time with in the morning due to the fact that her timetable went by her current lovers. Selina's mother, Katherina, or as she insisted to be called, Kathy. 'It makes me feel so old when people call me by my full name.'

Cassandra glanced at all the other mothers or visitors who she guessed was the same age as Selina's mother. Kathy Gondola didn't look in the slightest bit old. She for a fact that her appearance hid her actual age. In fact she looked too young to be Selina's mother. Selina had told Cassandra that her mother was forty-one however when she met the beautiful, dark haired woman Cassandra thought her closer to thirty-one. It wasn't exactly a fantastic feat since there were many other women in the room who achieved this through the excessive use of cosmetics. Then again there were others who did the exact same thing but instead it made them look ten years older opposed to trying to look ten years younger. She had clear, smooth pale skin which reminded Cassandra of the statues from the ancient times. Her figure wasn't at all slim, Cassandra saw her as more curvaceous than anything else but this made her figure and beauty all the more godly. When she walked through the halls all eyes turned to her, when Cassandra saw her she knew that her reputation was not the only reason why she induced such a reaction from others. Her eyes were the most beautiful and alluring of features. They were an amber colour with specks of green which could lure the most cold-hearted of men to her bed.

Kathy took Cassandra by the chin at some point and observed her face. "I can see that you will attract a few men some time soon, Miss Richardson."

Cassandra chuckled nervously and shook her head. Kathy's grip on her chin was so firm that this action didn't prize her from her grip.

"I doubt I would even be in places where I would seek such a thing, Mis- I mean Kathy. I wouldn't wish to pursue a life of marriage."

Kathy released her grip and threw back her head and laughed. "Selina! I approve of this new friend you have made. Your other friends are well enough but I love a woman with unconventional views."

She clapped her hands. "You will have to visit us some time, Cassandra. During the holidays."

"Believe me, Kathy. I will prefer to be under your roof than my own." Cassandra replied graciously.

Kathy chuckled and nodded with some understanding. Cassandra imagined due to her personality and her habits didn't go down well with her family. What Cassandra didn't know was that Selina's mother had been turned out the house when she was discovered with one of the guests in a compromising position. They tried to lock her in asylum but she was able to find a way of escaping, skipped to the next planet and she's never returned to them since. She turned to Selina who gave her a knowing look. There weren't many things that she had told her, such as the details of her both parents death but she knew that they were dead and of the conditions she had to live under now that her brother was head of the family. Selina knew all to well about her situation with her family. She had never met them but she knew she didn't care to meet her brother and she was sure that he would not approve his younger sisters new school friend. He would probably prefer her to be friends with the likes of Aurelia Felnela. She would never give her up for the sake of her brothers approval either. She had come to love Selina, Sophia and Diana but Selina would doubtlessly be the only one who she could talk of these matters. She had even told her of her intentions once she had obtained her money at eighteen because she knew she was the only one who would understand. Selina even offered that they live together during her studies.

"Well I am glad to hear that." Kathy replied brightly as she fixed on her hat. She turned to Selina and gave her daughter an affectionate peck on the cheek and got to her feet. "I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer, my dears but there are things to do. Places to see."

"Of course." Selina purred.

Kathy gave her a look and walked away into the crowds. Cassandra noticed that Selina was being uncharacteristically quiet and turned to her friend.

"Selina? What is the matter?"

Selina smiled and shook her head. "It's nothing."

"What is it?"

"I just...worry about her. She gets so enthralled by every affair, hoping it will come to something real but in the end it is just...money. Sex. Nothing else. She wants something more but she has gone much to far to obtain that now."

"She made her choice. Not meaning to be harsh, but let her suffer from those consequences and don't insult her by giving her pity. I think she knows of them all too well."

Selina shot her a look of surprise and smiled. "You are too wise to be in this place, Cassie. I'm glad you will find a way out of it."

"We both will. I cannot say so much for Diana though." Selina nodded in agreement.

She had been told of her unfortunate situation a few days after Cassandra had been told that dark, sad night. Selina turned towards her through the crowd, where Cassandra soon followed and saw the sad, withdrawn expression painted on her face. When she looked at her Cassandra felt like she had swallowed a stone which refused to go beyond halfway down her throat. She felt like she had been shot in the chest. Diana had a small smile on her face as she looked towards her family, which killed Cassandra as she watched the charade and turned away with a painful look on her face. She wished she could warn them of what her daughter had been threatened with but she knew that if she did so she would be breaking her promise. Cassandra herself was pursuing such an endeavour but she still found it unbearable to watch someone as frail as Diana to follow such an end. However as much as she had congratulated her friend on her endeavour she still felt that her judgement was somewhat misguided. Of course, Selina agreed with this view. Cassandra had kept her word on not telling Diana's family and the rest of their friends the nature of Diana's situation and her obstacle of her freedom of choice. Her family, if they knew the truth of her decision, would probably intervene. She could imagine as she watched them that they would have no objections to her refusal. But Diana was too stubborn, as well as too selfless. A dangerous combination.

"Selina! Cassandra!" They both turned round to Sophia running towards them. "Come meet my family before they leave!"

Cassandra and Selina looked at each other with an amused look on their faces. Sophia was always the one who wanted to play happy family's and was at least a step away from being as naïve about these things as Diana was. Although just recently, as Cassandra knew, she had been made aware of the seriousness of the situations which you had to deal with as an adult when you weren't even eighteen yet. Cassandra nodded and allowed herself to be led by Sophia towards her family sitting in the corner. She giggled with her arm wrapped around Selina's when they were thrown into their seat and nestled their heads against one anothers. Many people would have seen them and thought they were sharing a secret. Something no one else would ever know, not matter how close they had gotten to another person. She looked up to specifically find Lord Michael Caliber, Sophia's father. As he had known her father and worked along side him she was eager to talk with him most of all this day. She spotted him, he still looked young for a man in his late fifties with grey hair but still a strong body. He spotted her and got to his feet.

"Ah this must be the famous, Miss Richardson." He greeted. He took her hand and kissed it politely, making Cassandra blush. Sophia quickly turned to Selina.

"And you remember Miss Gondola, father."

Lord Caliber tilted his head and gave Selina a mischievous smile. "Ah, who could forget the outrageous, Miss Gondola."

Taking both her hands and kissing her on both cheeks. His wife blinked slightly and turned away, supposing that she was his mistress however knew this wasn't true.

"Lord Caliber. It's wonderful to see you again but I am sure you have been more eager to meet, Miss Richardson."

"When I heard that Miss Richardson was to attend the Academy I have to admit I was in shock. When I heard that she had become close friends with my daughter I was thrilled. I am a great admirer of your late fathers achievements and I'm sure you know that we were good friends."

Cassandra nodded her head. "Yes, sir. My father told me much about you and your courage. I was much more eager to meet with you today as you were to meet me, believe me."

Lord Caliber chuckled and clapped his hands. "You are as polite as a charmer as your father once was."

"And as beautiful as your mother." His wife added with a kind smile. The mention of her mother sent shivers down her spine and regained her smile quickly.

"Thank you, but my mother was much too beautiful for any daughter to even be as far as to be compared to." She replied politely.

"This girl has a silvertongue. A gift from her father, doubtlessly enough." He said the others around them.

"You really do have a silvertongue." Selina whispered, restoring the bright smile on Cassandra's face. "You could have a thousand men if you wanted."

Cassandra's smile faltered. "Like I said I don't want marriage."

"I wasn't talking about marriage." Selina replied.

She wasn't talking about marriage...Of course she wasn't. She knew more than anyone that such intimacies not only happened between two people in a marriage. Sometimes people cheated on others and then there were people who loved each other enough to not want to wait for the weeding night. Others just didn't want to commit themselves to another person for the rest of their lives and decided to have many of those moments of intimacy with many others for the rest of their lives. There were so many possibilities. The word wasn't black and white that was for sure. Cassandra looked at her for a moment then burst out laughing. As much as Selina and Kathy's philosophy somewhat collided with Cassandra's she always found it amusing. She also agreed that she would much rather remain to have constant affairs rather than be imprisoned in a marriage for a hundred years. Marriages filled with love were rare, the Calibers and her parents own marriage going under that category. But they were two marriages out of a thousand.

"I have to admit I would rather go through my life and bed a hundred men rather than enter into a loveless marriage."

Selina nodded. "I agree with you completely."

They both asked Selina and Cassandra upon what they would do after they graduated from the Academy. They looked at each other with a little secret smile on their faces. They knew that what they were going to tell them would probably shock them to their cores due to differences between generations. Selina told them she planned to live in the city as an independent woman where Cassandra immediately jumped in and mentioned that she would live with Selina hoping to find a job. Lady Caliber blinked at them and turned away, a little shaken by their answer, opposed to what was going to happen to their daughter. She loved her husband, her daughter and their friends but she had a feeling that there was a line where she would not cross. However Lord Caliber looked at her for a moment and in his eyes, Cassandra could see begin to sparkle with admiration. She thought for a moment that he was looking at her as if she was someone else...She supposed he began to see her father in her more than ever now. She felt that her father was growing inside her. She felt his strength reaching out and pouring inside her from the grave, as if his spirit was being inserted into her body. She needed it now more than ever.

Lord Caliber nodded to her and led his wife out of the school. Cassandra sighed and got to her feet. "I suppose it is time I introduced myself to the Firestones."

Selina narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her. "You seem very eager to meet the Firestones... Is there something you're not telling us?"

Cassandra licked her lips and resisted from releasing her tongue from the hold of her oath. She was shaking all over and she was sure Selina took note of this. She was sure that there was something that she had been holding back. She wanted to tell Sophia and Selina the truth. That Diana was being blackmailed into marrying a man she didn't know and probably wouldn't come to love if it was one of convenience. It was only one in a million chance that they would come to love one another of their meeting or even coming to love one another with time. However she knew that if she broke her promise she would cause more damage than holding her tongue. She would cause her more pain upon Diana if she tried to intervene. She made her way through the crowds which had now died down to only a few people on their feet and more sitting down. She caught the eye of Diana who gave her a grateful smile.

"Mother. Father. This is Cassandra Richardson. The new student at the Academy I told you about."

Lord Hugo was a middle aged man who had allowed this stage in his life to take its toll on his appearance but still had the kind face of the man Cassandra had been told he was. Lady Penelope, his wife was a skinny woman who had lost her beauty but not the sparkle in her eyes.

"Miss Richardson, it is a pleasure to meet you." Lady Penelope greeted her. Cassandra bowed her head respectfully.

"Not as much as it is for me to meet you both. Never have I heard of such virtuous people as my friend has told me as you are."

Lord Firestone waved his hand. "Our daughter is too kind. It is to make up for the misgivings of our sons. They are mischievous but have good hearts."

"I cannot imagine anything less."

"Is that so?" Said a voice from behind her.

Cassandra spun round to find a tall, dark haired man peering down at her with a cunning grin on his face.

"Adrian. Be polite to Miss Richardson. She is a dear friend to your sister and therefore to this family. Additionally she is a respectable woman." His mother chided.

Adrian Firestone raised his eyebrows and took a seat beside his sister. "Really? I've never heard of such a thing."

"Adrian!" His father snapped which almost startled Cassandra.

"Sir, it is quite alright. I have two older brothers of my own I am quite used to this behaviour." She replied, attempting to keep the peace.

"We would also like to congratulate you all on your daughters engagement to the Duke of Orion."

Selina piped. Cassandra gave her a look which her friend ignored.

All family members went solemn for a moment but thanked them for it anyway. This assured Cassandra even more that it would be better to intervene however still bound by her promise, found that she couldn't cry out that truth that haunted her.

"It is a shame...That your Grandmother isn't here." Cassandra mentioned with a hint of suspicion and venom in her voice. "Perhaps she is on other business?"

Adrian raised his eyebrows. "As a matter of fact she is. On other business. I suppose Diana has told you of her virtues also?"

"I'm not sure virtue would be the sufficient term to use to describe her character and actions." She replied evenly. Adrian looked back at her knowing that she was communicating something else.

_I know of what she has done. I know the truth. I know that there is a monster beneath such a frail body. You have seen it and I know its extents._

~ (***) ~

Marianne couldn't remember the last time she had worn a dress. They were all so constricting and the corsets...She didn't want to get into how painful they were. She glanced over her shoulder at all the other aristocrats who were heading into the building and she was hoping that she wasn't sticking out like a sore thumb. She looked over her shoulder and saw that there was no one else staring at her. No one else recognised her...Thank goodness. Unless...She saw a woman walk out the building, some she recognised and pulled the hat over her eyes so that she wouldn't recognise her. The woman walked past her, she seemed to be in a hurry but then again _she_ would be...

_I wonder what Kathy's doing here...Wait...No...She has a daughter here? Well I'll be damned..._

She walked towards the door with her head held high and breathed in deeply. She had done this before. She knew she would have to give her name and who she was here to visit but she had to make sure that she came in here undetected. She had done it with plenty of merchant ships so this was going to be a piece of cake. She glanced up and saw a young Space Captain with a young girl on his arm and looked in a different direction. She knew that she was probably going to be somewhere near the top of the most wanted so it would be best to not get caught by anyone...

"Hello, sir. Are you here to visit one of your sisters?"

He chuckled nervously. "Not exactly. I'm a family friend and I've just docked earlier this week and just heard about the visiting day. I'm an old family friend of Xavier Richardson..."

"The famous war hero?" The old woman asked.

Marianne looked up with a raised eyebrow. _Well that's one way of putting it..._

"Well, of course, sir. Don't worry I will just have to ask you to go to the waiting area..."

He nodded to her respectfully. "Thank you."

"And I'll just tell her that you've arrived. I'm sure she'll be very happy as I am thought she would be having no visitors today."

"What about her brothers?"

"Unfortunately, they are on leave at the moment." She replied regretfully.

He nodded. "I see."


	18. Old Friends

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Old Friends

For **StoryWriterOfTheYear2013**

"Miss Richardson." Cassandra turned round to find herself face to face with Miss Henderson. She gave her a polite smile and curtseyed. "You didn't inform me that you would have a visitor today. In fact you told me quite the opposite."

Cassandra blinked. "Miss Henderson, I'm not sure I understand."

Miss Henderson smiled stiffly. "Well, a friend of your fathers, or so he claims asks to see you. You should probably go see to them considering it would be incredibly rude to allow them to continue waiting. They're by the window in the reading corner."

Cassandra curtseyed before Miss Henderson left but she didn't seem to acknowledge her pleasantries. She sighed and turned to her friends.

"Is there nothing I can't do that won't anger that woman." She muttered venomously.

"She doesn't like me either, darling. It's because we're unconventional. Non-conformists." Selina explained.

Cassandra sighed again. "Well I better go see who this is. It'll probably be something planted by Aurelia for all I know."

"Probably." Sophia replied.

As they swam through the sea of aristocrats, merchants and captains Cassandra felt her heart thud with anticipation. She never thought that anyone would come to see her. Her brothers made it clear that they were unable to come and there was no one else she could think of other than...No. It couldn't be them. They would never find the time to come to see her. Helen would be too busy with her studies and she made it pretty clear to James that he didn't need to worry or concern himself with her. However when she walked round the corner there they were sitting by the window.

James was reading the paper, obviously politics and news of the world was going to become a huge part of his life. Cassandra's shocked expression soon faded into an affectionate smile. The paper probably bored him since he came across as someone more concerned about engines than aristocracy. She was surprised that there would be ones to offer here at the Academy unless they brought them in especially. He should've been warned that they would be two years old. It wouldn't be heartbreaking for him though, he would be using them to pass the time. Helen was looking out the window probably worrying over whether Cassandra would be even coming. Or she may be preoccupied with thoughts about her studies. That was far more likely. Then again they wouldn't have to worry about that if they didn't give them their names.

Jim looked up, his eyes widened at the transformation Cassandra had made over the few months at being a finishing school.

"Miss Richardson." He greeted formally, getting to his feet and bowing.

He stared at her for goodness how long. She was almost beginning to wonder whether people would start talking. She glanced around and wondered if anyone was watching them. The one thing she would hate more than Selina bothering her about it all week was Aurelia Felnela finding out. She knew that it was more likely she was going to twist around what she saw and she would make it Hell for both of them. She was like that. She had heard about another girl called Valerie Hale who had been caught with the gardener's son when Cassandra saw that he was just handing him something that she had dropped. Not only was she sent away but the entire family was dismissed with the replacement gardener being creepier than his predecessor. She shook her head knowing that this wasn't the time to be going off somewhere else. James Hawkins was here...He hurriedly took her hand and kissed it. Her heart almost leapt out of her chest and she was tempted to put her hand to where her heart may be but her other arm seemed to be glued to her side. She smiled appreciatively and nodded. Her heart began to feel like it was on fire. No. It wasn't that extreme. It felt like a candle which had been re-lit after months and months of being unused. Her cheeks turned from a pale white to a rosy pink. Selina noticed this and glanced at the young man knowingly. Jim was about to open his mouth to answer her but was interrupted by Helen.

"Cassandra!" The mousey looking girl threw her arms around Cassandra who hugged her back tightly. "I've missed you so much. I'm sorry I didn't write to you more I haven't had time."

"It's alright, Helen. I have more time. I have more time to waste than you do." She glanced at Selina and remembered herself.

"Hopefully you might be referring to me as Captain, soon enough. I still haven't achieved that officially yet. But give a few more years and I might be able to run my own ship."

"I hope the voyage with my father-" Then Cassandra stopped herself. She glanced at Selina self-consciously who got the message and excused herself.

"Miss Richardson?" She looked up and saw Jim staring down at her with a concerned expression on his face.

"I was just hoping that the incident of the voyage with my father didn't damage your reputation." She whispered.

Jim drew back with a ghost of a smile on his face. "Is that what concerns you most? Not that your father died as a result of my lack of experience?"

"Mr Hawkins I have never blamed you for my father's death." She reasoned.

"Cassandra." Helen begged. "Please. Mr Hawkins didn't mean that."

"Or that you've confined yourself to an institution such as this and still you refuse any assistance because of your pride."

His voice was rising from a sharp hiss to a roar where Helen knew that the only action to take was to find Miss Gondola.

"I am not being proud I am simply being practical. I have explained to you why I am doing this." She snapped.

"Yet you insist on going alone!" He cried. "Why can't you just let me help you?"

"Why do you insist that you help me?"

"Because I care about you!" The words dug into her like a sharp knife. It hit her with the same velocity as an asteroid hitting a planet. "Is that so hard to believe or even accept?"

She stepped back and looked like she was going to cry and run in the opposite direction. "I only asked you to-"

She closed her eyes and tried to reclaim the words that she was going to use. She wanted to find them again. She had to think about it. She didn't want to have to think about it today. She thought that she would never have to see him again for a while. There was a part of her which was glad when he promised her that he would look after Helen and only Helen. She hoped that she would never have to see him again otherwise she wouldn't have to confront these confusing emotions again. She didn't feel like herself when she was around him. She felt like her stomach was eating itself. Her head felt like it was going static. Her face felt like it had been set on fire. She tried to collect her thoughts again and search for the words she was going to say. She stopped knowing that it was futile. She knew there was no way she was going to be able to say anything that would change his mind. She wasn't going to carry on begging him to only help Helen. She knew that if she carried on doing that this argument would never cease to end. She would carry on refusing his help and with time he may give up. However she had a feeling that Mr Hawkins was a stubborn young man.

"I suppose my words would be wasted in reminding you in the promise I made you swear to. I just want to know why you insist on breaking it."

"I told you its because I care about you."

"But you hardly know me!"

Jim closed his eyes and waited until he calmed down before talking to her again. "Like I said. It's simply because I care about you. From that day I first saw you as a child to this moment its simply because I care about you."

"How can someone care about another who they've only known collectively for a little while?" She thought out loud.

"Do you care for me at all?" He asked quietly. "Is this what the problem is? Do you even have a thought for me?"

"Do you think I haven't thought about you? Surely it's clear that isn't the case. Did my words about your reputation mean nothing to you? Because if that's the case you're hiding it very well for them to make you angry. I have thought about you on several occasions, if I am forced to speak honesty."

"I'd prefer it."

She shook her head and was about to march away but Jim grabbed her arm roughly. "I haven't finished."

"I have." She snapped but was unable to prize herself away from his hold. "Let me go, sir."

He shook his head. "No. I need you to answer me fully.' He leaned his face close to hers. 'Do you care for me at all?"

"Yes. Alright?" She replied explosively. "Is that a good enough answer?"

"Then why are you so angry with me?" He demanded. "When I am simply offering you some help and you insist on being independent. I can financially support you while you study-"

"No you can't. I can when I turn eighteen. But until then I will remain here. It's my prison but also my sanctuary."

She blinked at her self wondering why she said such a thing. Even hearing herself say that aloud sounded ridiculous. How could a place like this be remotely like a sanctuary. Especially for someone like her. She was able to pull her arm out of his grip and walked away from him without looking back. She knew that this was going to be the only way for him to get the message. She didn't want anything more to do with him. Or that was what she had to get him to think. She had stop him from pursuing her any further. That night while she brushed her hair before bed Cassandra began to recount the events of the day however it always fast forwarded to the conversation she had with Mr Hawkins. She shook her head wanting to banish those few minutes from her thoughts. Never had she thought that Mr Hawkins could stir up such passionate emotions from within her. She never thought any man would be able to do that.

"Who was the young man you were talking to, Cassandra?" Diana asked looking up from her book.

Cassandra glanced at her friend and shrugged. "Just an old family friend."

~ (***) ~

Marianne sighed and walked out of the grounds taking off her hat. She was sweating underneath the ridiculous feathery thing, Reed's wife could have it back. She didn't want it in the first place but she thought that she would look very refined in it. It was probably their most expensive possession but even then it looked like a ratty little thing. It looked like something which had been sold to her for their weeks wages (which wasn't a lot) by some old woman with a bad back pulling something along.

She thought that no one had followed her but it seemed like an old friend was still up to the same tricks...

"Hello old friend."

She sighed and turned around to see herself face to face with Katherina Gondola. "Hello Kathy." She replied in a solemn yet affectionate voice.

They both looked at one another seriously for one silent moment until the other woman broke out into a fit of giggles and ran towards her with her arms wide open. She pulled her into an embrace and laughed.

"Oh my dear, dear friend. How are you? I have not heard from you or anything not since...Well, not since the War."

Marianne patted her old friends hand. "It's better if we don't keep in touch...Considering what I do for a living."

"You're not still doing that? Marianne." She said sternly. "We both know that you can find...more legal ways of finding employment."

"Look who's talking." She retorted.

"I'm just saying...I'm worried about you. After not hearing from you for all these years. Can you not understand that?"

Marianne sighed. "Yes. I'm sorry. I just came here to see..."

"See who?" Then Kathy's eyes widened. "Do you have a daughter in there? Marie, who is it? Tell me."

"No." She replied firmly. "I'm certainly not telling you."

"Oh please. Please tell me. I might even be able to...She doesn't know...Does she? Is that why you're not telling her?"

She chuckled. "I always thought you should take up the mind-reading trade, Kathy."

"So is this what you're going to resort to? Spying outside of her window. Staring at her from a distance? Doesn't she deserve to know?"

"Yes. Yes of course she does...But I made a promise to someone. I can't break that promise, Kathy...Not now and not ever."


	19. George

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

George

_Two months later..._

For **Shining Petals**

Cassandra watched the snow fall down and dance in the January wind as she waited for her brother, George to arrive. She remembered how she would sit by the fire and watch the snow fall in the winter evening as a child. There was a fireplace close to where she was sitting now but the Academy didn't nearly provide the warmth and comfort her home once did. She had received a letter this time, much to Miss Henderson's approval, that he would be attending the January visiting day. It was about time a family member visited her, other than Helen but that was a visit day which went wrong. Mrs Henderson found out about her 'public dispute' with Mr Hawkins who had made a name for himself obviously since Mrs Henderson even knew of him. She was confined to kitchen duties for a month which was fine since she got to spend time with Nell. Still after a few days her hands began to go raw. She shook her head and hadn't been able to erase the memory from her mind. She had never made such a fool of herself. She fidgeted in her seat as she waited for her brother to arrive and even began to have the creeping anxiety of him not actually turning up. She glanced over at her friends from the corner who gave her encouraging looks in her direction. _He's going to come, don't worry. _She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to visualise her brother walking through the crowds towards her.

George Richardson scanned the crowds for his younger sister. He had to go to some reception and inform them that he was coming to visit his sister, then had to prove that he was who he claimed to be, wait for a teacher to escort to somewhere which would take him less than a minute to get to without any directions to get to. He had more trouble getting onto a pirate ship...Now he just had to find her amongst the array of young women. She was probably tucked in a corner somewhere, knowing Cassandra. Despite the fact that since Helen's arrival she had become more extroverted she was still rather a private person. She probably would be more so in these situations. However whenever he tried looking for her his eyes were always drawn to a girl with strawberry blonde ringlets and sad, sapphire blue eyes. He found himself wondering what made her so sad. Her eyes were glazing over as if she was about to cry. It would be very untoward of him to walk up to her, especially when she was with her family and introduce himself. The nineteen-year-old-Spacer-in-training made a mental note for his sister to introduce him to the young woman. Even if she didn't approve of his choice.

"George!" His sister's voice snapped him out of his daze and was welcomed with a hasty kiss on the cheek and was pulled through the crowds to the expected corner to hide in.

"I've been calling you and calling you but you were standing there like you were being hypnotized."

"I suppose I was." He murmured as he looked over in the mystery girls direction with a grin on his face. Cassandra frowned and looked in the direction he was looking in.

"Who's caught your eye then?" She questioned. She scanned the area and all she saw was Aurelia Felnela and one of her closest friends, Diana.

"The blonde haired one." He answered, not looking away.

"They're both blonde." She replied dryly.

"What?" He asked, still not looking away.

"Give me more than just blonde." She answered. _Please, please, please don't tell me my brother's fallen in love with that rich brat._

"The one with blue eyes, looks really sad."

Cassandra sighed and knew that only meant Diana. She knew Aurelia would be able to hide the fact that she was sad because she was on deaths door and still look serene and blissful. Diana was the only woman in the room with a good excuse to be sad even when most people would think otherwise. Now she didn't know what was worse. George falling in love with an aristocrat who she couldn't stand. Or with her closest friend who was already promised to another aristocrat and in a situation where she wouldn't be able to easily weasel her way out of. Then again if it was choice between having a sister in law she couldn't stand or one whom married her brother under questionable and slightly illegal circumstances she would admit she would go for the latter opposed to the former. It would either leave her parents in debt and leave her disgraced. She didn't want to disappoint her brother but she didn't want to leave them both disgraced if Diana returned his affections and pursued a relationship with him. The story of Diana's aunt and her elopement circled in Cassandra's mind.

"Her name's Diana Firestone." She answered curtly.

George quickly turned to his sister with an eager expression on his face. "You know her?"

She shrugged her shoulders, she wasn't going to lie to her brother. Lies always got found out in the end. "I share a room with her." She answered simply.

"So you must know her really well! What's she like?"

Cassandra leaned back slight and blinked at her brother with surprise. "Well, she's quiet, polite, kind, considerate. In other words she's very unlike the women in her station and is a wonderful girl." She closed her eyes knowing she was going to regret the next words which were going to pass her lips. "And she is also a very close friend of mine."

_Oh Lord, what have I done?_

"So you can introduce us." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. When she opened her eyes George had already got to his feet.

Cassandra took in a deep breath and took his offered hand and got out of the chair. He seemed rather eager for her to do so considering it was the only way he was going to be able to get across the other room to her. Logic was telling him to calm down and sit to have tea for a few minutes, as demeaning at that solution seemed but it was the only thing she could think of. She wasn't socially inapt but she had no idea what to do in this situation. She gripped onto her brothers arm as he swam through the sea of people towards the Firestone's. She dug her nails into his arm but he didn't seem to notice...This was not a good sign. She just hoped the attraction wouldn't be mutual. Her brother was hopeless sometimes but she couldn't ever imagine him forcing a woman to love him. Cassandra could feel her heart beating in her chest, knowing that this wasn't going to end well. Why she didn't tell her brother about the engagement she had no idea. It was would be the sensible and rational thing to do. Ever since the argument she had with James Hawkins she hadn't been able to think straight or logically. Maybe there was a part of her hoping that an elopement would be the answer for Diana's troubles. She shook her head. She had been spending too much time with Selina. Besides, she had her family to think of. The moment she would leave her family the next they would be living in a cardboard box.

She put on a brave face and beamed at Diana. "Diana!"

Diana looked up and smiled slightly at her friend. Her family turned to see who it was, half-expecting it to be Selina with such a booming voice only to find it was her new friend, Cassandra Richardson, arm-in-arm with her brother, George.

"Mr Firestone. Mrs Firestone. Where are your sons?" She inquired.

"Ah, they are off doing...Goodness knows. I'd rather not know to be frank. Who is this, may I ask?"

"Ah, I am sorry. This is my brother George. George this is Mr and Mrs Firestone."

George reached out and shook the politicians hand. "Sir, its a great honour."

"I assure you it's not, my boy. This is my daughter, Diana. My sons are not here today so you may find yourself being bored to death by women's chit-chat today."

George chuckled. "I have a feeling I won't be, sir." Staring in Diana's direction.

Diana seemed to blush under the sparkling, kind gaze of the young man. George Richardson had sandy blonde hair and his sisters bright green eyes. Diana found herself drawn to them like a moth to a flame. They reminded of the emerald brooch which had been sent to her by the Duke which she was yet to wear. She felt that if she wore it she would be truly making a promise to him by making it a public statement. She smiled back sweetly and looked back down at the pink rose she seemed to be busying herself with while her parents had conversations with other parents. Cassandra rolled her eyes knowing that her hope of Diana not being attracted to her brother had failed. There was no way she was going to easily sort this out herself. She was going to have to bring Selina in. Then again she would try to do the opposite of what Cassandra wanted to do. She brought couples together, not drive them away. Cassandra, remembering her lessons sat next to her friend, knowing it would be unseemly for her brother to sit next to an unmarried lady. George sat as close to Cassandra as possible in order to be as close to Diana as possible. She had a feeling that this would be one of the most uncomfortable situations she would have to experience.

"So, Miss Firestone, what do you think to my sister's unconventional opinions?" George began politely. Cassandra glanced at him with a sly smile on her face.

_Someone's been practising their manners as well it seems. _

Diana giggled. "I think they're very refreshing, Mr Richardson. However the one thing I appreciate the most about your sister is how kind-hearted and thoughtful she can be."

George laughed. "Are you sure we're talking about the same person? Or has this institution actually done something to make some improvements in my sister? Not that she needs any." Adding this was an affectionate peck on the cheek.

Cassandra gave him a charm laugh between tightly closed lips and turned back to her friend. "Don't worry. If he continues I can always send him away. He deserves it anyway he didn't come to the last visiting day. When I was all alone." She said in a mock melancholic voice.

"And I have apologised for that, a thousand times over. Have I not written to you nearly every single week begging for your forgiveness?" He pleaded.

Cassandra gave him a desperate look._ Please, please, please brother stop. _He obviously thought she was playing some game and he was going along with it. Possibly thinking it may attract Diana's attentions.

"Anyway, I heard that you were not completely alone on the last visiting day." He replied coolly.

"Yes, I did spend some time with my friends families while they were here." She replied curtly hoping to not arouse suspicion.

"No I didn't mean that. I meant that there was someone here to visit you. James Hawkins, if I remember correctly."

Cassandra blinked at him innocently. "How do you know him?"

George shook his head. "I just met him on one of my lectures."

"Bu-"

Cassandra stopped and shook her head. It was best not to question him on it. Also she didn't want to make a display of herself again only this time giving everyone a demonstration of a sibling dispute rather than one between a respectable Captain and gentleman and a 'young lady'. Besides, the more she asked the more suspicious she would seem. She might as well admit that not only did she know him but that he was here. If George knew of James Hawkins he most surely knew about what happened between them as well. That was something she didn't really want to discuss right now. She knew it was most likely that James Hawkins went to her brother to express his concern for her welfare. Also with adding upon her behaviour the last time they talked to one another just to place emphasis upon how 'serious' the situation was. No doubt before he would leave, her brother would pull her to one side and question her on her actions. She decided to save the argument till later. She was going to do this at least for Diana who seemed to be enjoying George's company who deserved as much happiness as possible before she imprisoned herself in a loveless marriage.

"So which year are you in, Mr Richardson?" Diana asked.

"I'm currently in my fourth year. I graduated quite early since I always got top marks and the board thought it was best I moved on swiftly."

"How many years are there altogether?"

"Seven. So I only have three more to go before I can begin professionally."

Diana threw a sparkling smile in George's direction. "It must be so exciting."

"I assure the reality is better than the stories. Cassandra could tell you all about that. She went on a voy-" Then stopped remembering how his sister's first voyage also marked the last voyage their father ever made.

Diana nodded kindly. "Yes. She told me about that. I am sorry about your father."

"Thank you."

"My father told me he was a great man. But Cassandra always tells us of how he was a great father also."

George nodded solemnly. "He was."

"So anyway why were you talking to James Hawkins?" Cassandra decided to bite the bullet. Why not?

George frowned. "Like I said he was giving a lecture and recognised my name on the list. He promised he would offer me a placement in my last year as well."

Cassandra knew that this was another sign of James Hawkins interfering with the family politics of the Richardson's. She told him specifically that she only wanted him to help Helen and no one else. If he took this any further than necessary what would happen is that Fredrick would find out then Fredrick would also find out that Helen was being financially supported in some way or another and would be annoyed with this and this would lead him to channelling all of his energies into bringing about her social downfall. All because her father brought her under his wing and took her as his own. But that didn't annoy her as much as James Hawkins was annoying her. If he was doing this because he loved her this wasn't because of that. He was doing this to infuriate her. She had damaged her pride and the only way a man could express that or get back at them was interfere with their plans. She had never felt so infuriated or allowed someone to bother her so much. If this was what it was like to be in love with someone she would rather go without it. She swore the next time she would cross paths with him she would punch him right in the face. He had no right to be behaving like this but she couldn't help but be touched by him caring for Helen and helping her brother.

"He mentioned something about you. He says that he's quite...Well I'm talk to you later." He said

patting her hand.

_Yep, that's a signal for the brother-sister conversation reserved for later notice. _

"Darling," All three of them looked up to find the Firestone's getting out of their seats. "We're just about to leave but we have one more thing we wish to speak to you about. Would you walk with us?"

Diana nodded and glanced at the Richardson's. "I'll speak with you later. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr Richardson."

George took her hand and kissed it causing her to giggle. When she walked away she cast him a last glance over her shoulder and followed her parents.

"Now." His voice suddenly went dark. "Mr Hawkins informed me you had a little argument with him."

Cassandra folded her arms and sighed. "Yes. What of it?"

"Well I think as the benefactor of our adoptive sister I would think someone like you should be more grateful. Considering you were the one you asked him to support her?"

"And what would've happened if I hadn't? You know better than I that Fredrick would've thrown her out on the streets as soon as she stepped through the doorway."

"Oh I know. But the fact that you were so rude to him is beyond my understanding, Cassandra. What- What did he do to anger you so?"

"He offered to help me to- I always to-"

"Cassandra spit it out."

"I wanted to join the Interstellar Academy. Alright? Fredrick had other plans but I have my own. Once I turn eighteen I come into my money not even Fredrick can change that I will use that money to fund my study there and I will earn money however I can."

"Cassandra." George's voice had gone softer and took her hand. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you would've gone to Fredrick and he would've ruined all your chances at the Academy. Do you not see how manipulative and spiteful he can be if someone crosses him?"

George nodded. "Yes, Cassandra I do know. Thank you." He almost spat.

"So you can understand why I'm trying to do this by myself. If I do this alone I will be the only one being disgraced. If I do go down I don't want to take anyone with me."


	20. Regrets, No Regrets

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Regrets, No Regrets

_Seven months later..._

For **awesmninja**

_I have contemplated on whether I should write this letter to you or not..._

Helen gripped the letter in her hand which she had received a month ago. She looked out the window and saw in a few moments that her old home would be rising on the horizon. How strange it felt to go back there...As a visitor as well. She felt like she was a stranger in her own family. It was bad enough that she had lost the first and true one to such a terrible illness and then to lose her second because of social expectations. She had gripped so tightly, for so long that the ink was beginning to stain her hand. She took in a deep breath hoping that the contents of the letter was something coming from a misinformed mind. Something like this couldn't happen to Cassandra...She brushed the palm of her hand against the seat but it only made the ink smudge across her hand so much it went grey making the mess on her hand even worse. She had only waited until now to see Cassandra since she had not arrived home after completing her first year at the Academy until a week ago. It was the earliest she could get to visit her without the meeting being discovered by her brother, Fredrick. Helen shivered at the memory and was secretly glad of this but she hated all this secrecy. All of this had happened as a result of her deception but she didn't hate her for it. Far from it. She pitied her.

_I now realise that it to be with the utmost urgency to inform you of this. I believe that she had been deceiving you since before you left..._

She leaned her head against the cold glass of the carriage as she re-read the letter. She wanted to make sure. She wanted to make sure that this was just something she had read into and meant something else entirely. She traced the lines with her finger and her fingers brushed against the paper making her nerves tingle with the gentle touch. She thought about the sender of this letter and smiled. She had some good times with that brother. He and Cassandra were always kind to her. And Victoria as well. They were all kind it was a shame that George wasn't the older brother. As she read the words she realised she had read them so often she knew what was going to come next so instantaneously she could read it backwards and it would still make sense to her. She could stand up and recite the words off by heart as if it were a monologue. Those heavy words weighed down on her heart so much but she could not cast them from her mind. She held her hand to her mouth to prevent her from sobbing or crying. It wasn't out of betrayal when she sobbed for the first time she read the letter. It was regret.

_...She convinced herself it was the right thing to do. But you and I both know how she can be. She believes that by sacrificing her own dreams you would be able to have yours. That she would be able to achieve hers in time but she will just have to put hers on hold..._

Helen shook her head, not believing what she was reading. Cassandra was so determined to be a ship's captain and now she was sacrificing her own dreams for Helen's mere fantasies? It didn't make sense.

…_.can see in her eyes that she's merely trying to deal with it but I know that she's dying inside. Her dreams are wasting away in the institution she has been put in..._

A shaky sob escaped from the back of her throat as the carriage went over a bump. Helen held onto the side of the carriage and felt her heart thudding in her chest at a maddening rate.

_I can see in her eyes that she's dying inside. In a way, she's killing herself by remaining there. I fear the worst in her staying there and the institution even corrupting her past hopes and replacing them with the concept of husband hunting. I couldn't imagine anything worse than that..._

"We're here, Miss." The driver called.

Helen nodded and thanked him. She stepped out the carriage and found the old house which was once her home rising in front of her.

…_I implore you to go visit her, Helen. I think you're the only person who can save her from this fate. The only one who can lead her down another path. The right path. The path she chose to take all those years ago, but was hindered by our father's death..._

She hesitated then braved a step forward towards the house. Before this was a place she would've happily stepped back into but now it seemed darker. There was something more sinister about it more than homely. It was no longer the place she remembered as her sanctuary. A part of her even regretted her coming. Helen looked at the door before her for longer than she should've done. She feared what would happen the moment she knocked on the door. She was scared of what she would find behind the door. On some level she wanted to believe that George's letter was wrong. That he was wrong or misinformed on the contents of the letter. She didn't want to be in a universe where Cassandra wasn't the strongest person she had ever met. She didn't want to be in world where Cassandra gave up on her dreams so soon. That sort of place couldn't exist. Cassandra deserved so much more than that. Now that both her parents are dead. After witnessing both their deaths Cassandra deserved for the world to be her oyster not to be confined to just one path. She deserved to have a second choice. Helen took in a deep breath and banged on the door. She couldn't believe she was doing this. If all of this was true then she had no right to be here. Cassandra had made her decision and she knew the extents of her sister's stubbornness.

She could remember times when she would even argue with her own father as a result of this. There was a moment when he almost mentioned that she was behaving just like her mother when a frown would appear on her forehead. He would step back and put an end to that one argument which Helen witnessed between them both. Cassandra later told her that what her father was about to say made no sense at all since her mother had the most gentle and almost submissive temperament she had ever encountered with anyone. This was something that she had inherited from her father. They were both sure of it...At the same time, if she was wrong then she had no right to presume that Mr Hawkins hospitality was false. She shook her head before the door was opened before to find herself standing in front of Gina. The older, maternal woman had changed much since she last saw her. She looked more tired, her eyes looked redder, perhaps from crying. Her hair was in a disarray beneath her cap. She was significantly thinner than before as well. However underneath all of this Helen was still able to see the Gina she once knew. The Gina who accompanied she and her sisters on walks behind the house. The Gina who tucked them into bed almost every night. Now this was a different Gina. Maybe something had no only happened to Cassandra which changed her completely...

"Helen." Her voice was tired and husky. Her grey, dim eyes seemed to sparkle for a moment at her presence. "It's wonderful to see you child. How are you?"

Gina beckoned the young girl inside and closed the door behind her. "I'm well. Thank you. I've just completed my first year at the Doctors Academy."

Gina nodded and smiled brightly. "That's wonderful. Wonderful news. I have not been able to welcome such good news in a while."

Helen looked around quickly before asking, "How are things here?"

Gina's face fell and shook her head, Helen swore she could hear her muttering some incarnation or something along those lines.

"It's never going to be the same, Miss Arkwright. Ever since Captain Richardson died..." Gina held her hand up to her nose to stifle a sob. "And Cassandra...She's not herself. She's changing and changing as the days pass by. We don't know what it is. We've all known her since she was a child, most since she came out the womb. We've never seen her like this."

Helen nodding, knowing she couldn't imagine what sort of change could have occurred until she had seen her sister for herself. She couldn't jump to conclusions yet. She couldn't do something like that until she saw her. It was something which she had to be completely sure of. However, she could see from Gina's eyes that it was a frightful change. Gina was always one that had a no-nonsense attitude and it took a lot to shake her confidence. But there was something in her eyes that told Helen that there was a change in Cassandra. One which needed to be stopped. Helen began to doubt whether she should've been the one to have been sent for this mission. Perhaps, Mr Hawkins should've been sent. He seemed rather determined to confront her about something last time they had met. Maybe George was right, it seemed to fit all together when she looked back on the last time Mr Hawkins saw Cassandra. She nodded curtly to Gina and requested to speak with her immediately. Instead of asking her to wait in the corridor Gina asked her to follow her, considering the urgency of the situation. She asked where Fredrick was, which made Gina jump. Helen narrowed her eyes with suspicion wondering why the mention of his name made her so frightened. Helen feared Fredrick's wrath more than anyone but she knew from this reaction that Gina feared him more.

"Here we are, Miss." Gina said breathlessly as she pushed the heavy library doors open.

_Thank goodness she still spends her time in here, _Helen thought.

They made their way around the shelves to find Cassandra tucked away in a corner reading a book of poetry which made Helen frown.

_Poetry? That's an usual choice for Cassandra. She usually has no time for such things._

Gina curtseyed and announced, "Helen Arkwright is here to see you, Miss."

_Miss? Why is Gina calling her Miss?_

Cassandra looked up and smiled brightly when she saw Helen. "Thank you, Gina. You can- Gina?"

Cassandra's eyes widened and Helen followed her gave to a red-eyed, whimpering young woman. Although now in this moment she looked like she had aged by twenty years. They both knew that something was wrong and she wasn't telling any of them. They both saw it. They both knew it. They just had no idea what it could possibly be except something more terrible than either of them could ever imagine. There was something wrong with her. They both stepped forward towards their old nanny and looked at one another. Cassandra wasn't looking at Helen, she was more looking at Gina. She knew that she was doing this because she may have a distinct idea of what she was upset about. It was something may or may not have anything to do with Cassandra's situation. Helen was looking at her in a way which suggested that she should know what was going on and she should have put an end to it by now. Cassandra shook a little at this stare and turned back to Gina. She stroked away the strands of hair which were brushing themselves against her eyes and gave her a comforting smile. She almost looked maternal for a moment. There was a look in her eyes which told her everything was going to be alright. She had to hope that everything was going to be alright, at least for Gina. She at least deserved that much...

Cassandra had noticed her servant's eyes were red and took her by the shoulders. "Were you crying again?" She whispered. Gina gave a slight nod and looked down at the floor. Cassandra sighed and rubbed her arm before dismissing her. She turned back to Helen and offered her a seat.

"How are you? How are your studies? I'm sorry about the last time we met I was...um..."

"It's alright. My studies are going well and I have passed my exams all for this year so I won't have to re-do any years and in fact I'm able to go on a scholarship for next year since I have done so well."

Cassandra took her sisters hand. "That's wonderful. I'm glad things are turning out well for you."

Helen smiled back uncertainly. Nothing seemed to have changed in Cassandra other than seeming more polite and being more restrained. Then again the idea of that was strange and unimaginable when it came to Cassandra.

"How about you?"

Cassandra gave a little laugh and shook her head. "Impossible. The lessons at the Academy are dreadfully dull. I've completed all my languages courses so there will be no need for me to continue next year. So they're encouraging me to pick up on another sport and extra time with my piano practice. The teacher is such a...creep."

"How so?"

Cassandra hesitated. "Let's just say...He didn't take up the job just in need of money but also to remedy his need to be in close proximity of young women."

Helen gasped. "Cassandra you must report him immediately."

Cassandra shrugged. "He hasn't done anything. That I have heard of, but believe me if he did anything to me I will report it immediately. If another girl is attacked by him and I find out about it believe me I will report it."

"He sounds dreadful."

"He's a dreadful teacher, that's what he is."

Helen laughed and gazed at her sister. That was the sister she knew. The cynical, intelligent and humorous young woman she was. As witty as any woman who could attract the eyes of any king from any galaxy. As spirited as any soul who could attract anything as far as the farthest corner of the universe. Maybe everyone was wrong. Maybe there was nothing wrong with her and the slightest change that the Academy had made on her manners was beginning to send everyone down a spiral of anxiety. How could anyone change her sister? She was also stubborn and in order to change her ways it would take a very relentless and determined old woman to make her behave like a polite, young lady whose dream was to find a rich husband. That was the last thing she wanted but she did have a feeling when she last saw her...She didn't know whether it was her imagination but perhaps there was more between her and Captain Hawkins than they wanted other people to know...She was sure it was going to change her in some way as everything did when it was put into a different environment to what it was used to. Helen could still see the spirited, lively young girl she once knew beneath the exterior. When Cassandra met her eyes her eyes still sparkled with excitement and mischief. She still hung her hair down instead of in a tight bun until she hurt her scalp.

Helen leaned forward. "The servants are worried about you. Well, as far as I know Gina, George-"

"He has spoken to you?" Cassandra laughed. "What did he say?"

"He said you asked Mr Hawkins to help me in my studies and to leave you well alone as you had your own affairs well in hand."

Cassandra had stopped reading and eventually put down the book and looked at Helen squarely. "When did he tell you this?"

"He wrote me a letter, about a month ago telling me I should visit you to persuade you otherwise."

Cassandra shook her head muttering something under her breath and turned back to Helen. "I never intended you to find out about this but it was only for the best-"

"So it is true! That you allowed yourself to be caged like this-"

"No." Cassandra interrupted, shaking her head. "No. I am not caged because I know there is a way out of it. When I am eighteen I will inherit the money my father left me and I will use that money to finance my studies. It is better I did it this way."

"Why?"

"Because it's easier this way! Do you know the scandal it would cause? I know we have developed somewhat as a society but it is still...it is still...stuck in the bloody dark ages. I didn't tell you this because I know it would break your heart and I am sorry. I am sorry George told you about this as well."

"And what about Mr Hawkins?"

Cassandra stiffened all over. She looked like she about to close into herself and wanted to move onto another topic. But she knew she wouldn't be able to avoid him now that Helen had brought him up. It was impossible not to since he was the only connection between the two. He was the only one who had been able to make sure that this happened without anyone knowing. She knew if Fredrick found out about Helen's whereabouts and that she had been looked after she didn't know what he'd do. She knew that he was always jealous of the daughters of Xavier. He was never giving him the things he wanted but he was always willing to indulge in their wishes. Wishes which he believed to be above their station. Or above the station of a woman's ambitions. Helen looked her over and resisted showing her that she knew this all along. Any look was enough to set her off. She knew of her sister's fiery temper and she didn't want to provoke it. There was always something about the way that they looked at each other. Even though he was much too older for her she knew some day...She knew that there was something between them. Whenever she mentioned that she had gotten a letter from her he would always be more than hasty about asking her about her welfare. Whether she was being treated well about the Academy. All sorts of things.

Cassandra's head shot up. "What about him?"

"Well every time I get a letter he is always asking after you, how you are, he obviously cares about your welfare very much." Helen snapped.

"My welfare is my concern not his."

"Do you not care about him? About how he worries?" Helen persisted.

Cassandra went cold and looked out the window. "I can't let myself." She murmured. "I can't let myself..."

"What?" Helen demanded.

Cassandra's fiery green eyes shot back at Helen. "Nothing. There's nothing more to be spoken of. Helen..." Both the sisters gazed at one another until Cassandra broke the silence. "I think its best that you leave if this is all you have to say to me."

"Cassie..."

"No." Cassandra stopped her from approaching her with an outstretched hand. "I think it's best that you leave. I'm sorry for all the pain I have caused you and this is not a goodbye, but I must ask you to leave for now. I will still write to you...and that is all."

Cassandra surprised herself that she was able to say all of that without bursting into tears. Helen wordlessly left the room leaving Cassandra shaken and heartbroken.

Cassandra watched the carriage drive away with tears falling down her cheeks before she realised that they were there. She gripped onto the window and wanted to cry out to Helen out the window. She wanted to stop her and apologise to her. She wanted her to tell her everything. She wanted to tell her the truth. She wanted to take this burden off her shoulders but she didn't know how she would be able to tell her without hurting Helen. She knew if she did that Helen would up losing everything. They both would. She slumped back in the chair and sobbed into the cushion, not wanting to stir the servants. She didn't want anyone to see her like this. She just wanted to be left alone for now. Never had she felt so much sorrow. The images of her mothers cold, dead eyes, the ship alight and now the leaving of her sister polluted her mind and all together plunged her into a whirlpool of despair. Never had she felt so much hatred towards her brother and Mr Hawkins who had brought this about. If it wasn't for them she would not be so unhappy right now. Nevertheless, she couldn't deny that she loved them both also. Nothing could erase the love which she bore for them.

"Miss?"

Cassandra looked up to find Gina standing before her. She took a step forward but hesitated.

"Cassandra what is wrong?"

Cassandra threw her arms in the air and allowed them to fall down back onto the chair and let out a howl rather than a sob.

"I don't know, Gina. I have done things so wrong. I should never have shouted at him. I shouldn't blame them. I shouldn't have sent her away."

"There, there now." She shushed her as she held her in her arms and rocked her back and forth as she did when Cassandra was a child. "There, there now. All will be well."

"Will it?" She asked in a desperate voice. "Will it, Gina? I've done so many bad things."

"Cass?"

Cassandra looked up to find her sister, Victoria standing by the door staring at her. She had a doll in her hand which looked like she might drop at any moment as her eyes were fixed on her distraught sister.

"Why are you crying?"

Instead of answering her Cassandra got to her feet and made her way to her sister and wrapped her arms around her. She hugged her for longer than she could imagine. She still hugged her after the bell for dinner rang. She still hugged her after the sun went down. She didn't want to let her go because really out of all her family she was all she had left in the world now.

~ (***) ~

Marianne couldn't believe that she was doing this. She was getting herself into another situation where she would have to dress up again and she always hated to do that. Kathy knew she hated corsets more than anything...She must've remembered from their school days that she hated squeezing into those things. She would be the one to pull at the strings while Marianne would have to grip onto the post while she pulled on the strings. She thought it was completely ridiculous and she always did when Kathy would be dragging her to these little events she always thought would be fun when they ended up being not only a waste of her time but also of Kathy's. She was always attending them since she thought it would be a good way to find a new 'benefactor'. However what they mostly found where old, white haired badgers whose breath stank of garlic who were understandably weren't being completely cared for by their wives since the downfalls of the middle-aged period kicked in. Then she could understand why Kathy began to get picky. Then again she could afford to be when someone had a beautiful face such as her own...

She knocked on the door and waited for a moment until a woman with a dirty face and a bonnet falling off her head answered the door. Marianne wasn't at all taken back by such an ugly face, she had seen worse but she expected from the look on the old woman's face that she was used to people recoiling in fear at her appearance. She seemed surprised that Marianne wasn't responding in this way and stepped forward.

"What do you want?" She demanded.

"I came here to see, Ms Gondola?"

"Oh yeah...Come on up."

She was tempted to help the old woman up the stairs but she knew the help wouldn't be welcomed. Before she got to the top she heard a familiar voice call out to her.

"Marie! You're here!"


	21. Coming of Age

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

A/N: Hey there! Sorry if you guys feel like you've waited a while for an update. Thanks for all the support and everything. I also wanted to mention that I've got another story up called **The Storyteller **if you guys have time to check it out. I'd be easier if you went straight to my profile page if you're interested rather than looking up the category since its under 'movies' which I'm sure everyone knows is sometimes a trial to look through. Anyway I hold you enjoy the new chapter! Remember to R&R!

Coming of Age

_Over a year later..._

For **Dawn Gray Manson**

Cassandra sat in the waiting area clutching her bag with her back straightened in a manner which would make Miss Henderson proud. She actually looked like a lady. She nodded towards the secretary who nodded back and overlooked her for a moment then was satisfied that she was a lady. Sometimes she was beginning to feel like one too. No longer was she that little girl who bound through the woods like a wild animal or some baby lamb enjoying the Spring sunshine while it lasted. She didn't have the luxury of enjoying such things anymore. She wasn't here today to make Miss Henderson proud, in fact in she knew what she was doing and her motivation for doing so she would probably reprimand her and report of her brother. She had to admit she was here for solely selfish reasons, but she couldn't help having the need to justify her selfish reasons. The day had finally come. After putting herself through the treacherous weeks, months, years of being at the Young Ladies Academy, finally the day had come for Cassandra to finally be free. She would finally be able to take charge of her life and her own destiny. So many girls her age and of her own class would only be able to have so much. They believed they were better off than most people when they didn't realise the chains they bound themselves in or if they did they chose to ignore it. It was nearing the end of her third year there that it was her eighteenth birthday.

That morning her friends had come in to greet her and give her their presents. From Diana she received a book she knew she wanted to read however was somewhat of an inappropriate book for a woman to read, so she knew how much it meant for Diana, of all people to get it for her. She revealed later on that she got one of her older brothers to get it for her. She could just picture her brother now smirking to himself when Diana begged him to get it for her and why. They had taken a fancy of Cassandra but only in a teasing manner. They knew they would be over-reaching themselves if they tried to ensnare her. She wasn't speaking from a social perspective either. Socially they were her superiors but she never cared for such things. Selina got her a pair of silk gloves which she thought would match the blue dress Fredrick got her for Christmas. He was shocked to see she was still wearing last years fashion so got a night blue, silk dress in the new style tailored for her. She knew he wasn't doing this out of the goodness of his own heart. He knew that the only way to attract a husband was for the young woman to be fashionable. Why he thought for a second that Cassandra would carry on with the charade she didn't have the slightest clue. She smiled and said thank you. Just so he didn't know that something was amiss.

The woman got out of her seat and checked inside the lawyers office to see if he was ready to see her. She gave Cassandra a look which assured her that even though she was evidently 'a lady', she still didn't like her nor did she approve of what she was doing here. Whatever that was...Cassandra rolled her eyes as soon as she walked out the door. Whatever happened to the women's movement? She didn't even need to continue working here if it made her so sour towards other people. Cassandra had never felt so nervous in her life. Her hands were trembling and she was tempted to take off her coat only there were a few men also waiting to see her family lawyer. She would feel it improper to so do and left her coat on. She closed her eyes and shook her head. She couldn't believe that she had come this far in defying her brother and she was worrying about whether it was the proper thing to do in her taking off her coat. She couldn't believe herself sometimes. She could actually see now why George and Helen were so concerned about her. She felt like she was actually believing that her public appearance was the most important thing for her to uphold. Yes, she needed to come across as a respectable person in order to get into the Interstellar Academy. She had to show that she wasn't some whore nor a delicate daddy's girl who would break from simply falling against the helm.

She came out again and handed Cassandra a letter. "He instructed me to give you this. He cannot speak to you right now as he has an urgent business elsewhere."

"He is my family's lawyer." Cassandra reasoned.

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

Cassandra blinked. "Well surely that would mean my case would count as a high priority."

"This was considered a higher priority." Cassandra gave her on last glare, snatched the letter from her hand and walked out the office.

~ (***) ~

She hoped he refused her to see her because of another case otherwise the only other conclusion she could come to was that he was working with her brother. She needed to find herself another lawyer. One which wouldn't put her aside just because she was a woman of eighteen. She knew that if Fredrick found out about her plans he would foil them and change the deed. He would still be able to as soon as she was able to read the deed and he would find some way of stopping her being able to take advantage of whatever her father was willing to give her. The last thing he wanted was a sister to enter the Interstellar Academy. That wasn't the role a woman should take in this society. Not in his eyes anyway. He was blind to all the changes and women's rights that had been passed in the government. However for as long as she was under _his _roof, she had to abide by _his _law. Just as long as he carried on thinking that she was just being an obedient sister he wouldn't touch his father's will. Once she had the money he couldn't touch it. He couldn't even make a mark on the page of his father's will. That night she was sat in her bed reading the letter she had received from her father's law to inform her of the money she had inherited now that she was of age. She also had another letter to read from Mr Hawkins who congratulated her on her eighteenth birthday. It was painfully formal to the point where he was almost ridiculing her and threw it aside when she was finished and turned to the lawyers letter soon after.

…_.I hope you are aware, Miss Richardson, that your father was very concerned for your future and if something should happen to him that you be protected as securely as possible. From what I have seen in the will he has more than protected your welfare but he has secured your future. You are now to receive 500, 000 Drubloons which I am sure is well enough to live on for the coming years until you can find yourself in some occupation or a marriage. _

_However your father believed, and I'm sure you are if you are your father's daughter, that you were a woman of independence. I am hoping that you could write to me so that we could make an appointment so we could discuss organising and account, along with affairs regarding your future... _

"Cassandra?"

Cassandra looked up to Diana who had probably been trying to grab her attention for a while and was now trying to see what was in the letter which was so engrossing. Cassandra put it away and gave Diana a look. Sometimes Diana could be a little nosey of other people's affairs but then again Cassandra couldn't blame her. She was so concerned about other people, it was just her nature. Also she would want to have a diversion if she was in Diana's position. The engagement had become official and everyone passing her by in the corridors would nod to her. Some people would congratulate her on her engagement and wish her a happy marriage. Aurelia was in trying to keep in Diana's good graces considering where she was headed she needed friends in high places. If this occurred Selina or Cassandra would give them a fake smile and drag Diana away from the mess. They knew her enough to know that she couldn't deal with things like that. It was up to Cassandra and Selina to act at her protectors as Sophia was no longer there. A few months after Diana's engagement a man named Neville Rochford had been visiting the Calibers often and taken a liking to Sophia. Thankfully it was a happy match but Cassandra thought it a waste. She was so young and such a strong, independent woman.

"Don't worry its not a love letter." Cassandra chided.

"I would be nice to hear someone was in love." Diana grumbled. Cassandra glanced over at Diana on the other side of the room and smiled.

"There's always Sophia." Cassandra replied, making Diana giggle. Yes, there was always Sophia to look to.

Cassandra laid down on her bed and turned her eyes to the window. She wished it was a love letter. Perhaps maybe even if Mr Hawkins letter was a little more cheerful or friendlier than it already was then perhaps she would feel less agitated about her current affairs along with Diana's. Perhaps she wouldn't be so scared for her. It would convince her that love was nothing messy and would delude herself into believing that Cassandra was just being prejudiced. But she knew that her gut was always right. She looked up at the stars and thought of what her mother told her years before when she was a little girl. Those days when everything was simple because everything was solved for you already. Now she had to solve her own problems. She had to look after herself. Sometimes it was so tiring to look after yourself. Sometimes she wished that she could have someone look after her but then...No. She couldn't have any of that. A couple years before she died she was reading her a bedtime story and she held her in her arms and they both looked up at the stars and her mother whispered to her the words, _The sky's the limit but I know your path will go as far as stars go. _Cassandra remembered gazing up at that little cluster of stars and remembering that she was going to what her mother hoped for her. To go beyond the stars.

"I feel sorry for her at the same time." Cassandra said without thinking. Diana glanced over at her and frowned.

"Why?"

Cassandra shrugged her shoulders. "Well...I always thought that she would do so much better than that. I'm not saying Mr Rochford is bad. In fact he's a wonderful man but I always thought that..."

She glanced back at Diana nervously thinking of the right way to put it but she already finished her sentence before she could even open her mouth again.

"She could be an independent woman." Diana finished. Cassandra stared at her with her mouth agape. She tried to say something but Diana intervened.

"Honestly, you and Selina think I don't know one thing about you. I know you two aren't going to have the most conventional of lives and I really hope you do as well. I know you two are too spirited and willed to be stuck in a marriage. Also I would pity the men who married you." She added.

Cassandra laughed at her friends joke knowing she meant well. "I'm...I'm sorry we've been keeping a lot from you but it's because we don't want to hurt you."

"Because I'm so delicate?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Because of the life which has been set out for you." She replied.

Diana sighed and put down her book. "Cassandra, you and Selina should not feel guilty for making a better life for yourselves just because of the position I am now in. In fact I would be insulted if you didn't try to be free of the bonds some traditionalists in our society are still trying to shackle us into."

Cassandra knowing all too well of the meaning of those words watched her feeling like it was to have your heart break. She had heard that saying so often and had never experienced it for so long she almost ceased in believing that it was possible for it to be even felt. Those words burned into her mind and her soul everyday since she had arrived here. Ever since she was told her prison sentence she always remembered that motto rather than the one of the institution so that she wouldn't be condemned to the life which she always despised from a distance. She saw it as she looked around at the corset wearing, painted faces of the girls she passed in the corridor. She would always cling her books to her chest and remember that she wouldn't turn out like them. She would be different. She was more strong-willed than they were. When she went out into town with her brother or when she was with some distant aunt Fredrick insisted she spent time with or escorted her when she went out into public she felt so suffocated in the dress she found herself wearing when she stepped out the door. It just surprised her that she was hearing those words from Diana. She was never one to be a radical like Selina or herself. She was more of a conformist, and she wasn't saying that to be critical. It was more of an observation.

"I know." She whispered. "I know."

She was quiet for a moment and took out the letter. She unfolded it and stroked the page. "A lawyer who worked for my father and still works for the family I suppose sent me a letter. He said I've inherited some money now that I'm eighteen."

She got out of her bed and handed it to Diana. She scanned the letter and her eyes widened when she saw the amount that her friend should inherit. She turned to Cassandra with her mouth open but with no words coming out.

"That's a lot of money Cassandra. Are you sure this is the right amount?"

"My father never made mistakes. I'm sure George inherited his money by now, along with Fredrick and as will Victoria. My father would surely give us an equal amount of money so my question is how he got so much money when we lived such a comfortable lifestyle. I mean we were rich but we weren't royalty either. That's the thing which is confusing me."

"What about your mother?" Diana asked.

Cassandra shrugged. "All I know is that she came from a slightly richer family than my fathers. Mind my father had to work quite hard to get to the station he was put in...So I'm not sure where he would've got this money."

Cassandra shook her head. "It's a mystery to me."

Diana gave her a look and Cassandra knew that she was hesitating at saying something. "What?"

Diana tilted her head to the side. "I...Well my father told me once about the Celestial Wars when I mentioned your father once. He was going on about what a good man your father was and that he was surprised that the war didn't change him."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, your father may have told you many stories about his time in the services but there may have been some tales he may have failed to tell you. My father told me that some Space Captains were commissioned to go deep into the jungles of Belthora. No one knows why. They didn't come

back with any weapons or something of trade. Treasures. Nothing. They came back with information though on some rebel groups hiding in the mountains and jungle villages. At the end of the war it was discovered that many villages had been massacred-"

"What are you saying Diana?" Cassandra demanded.

Diana licked her lips. "I'm saying that when that was discovered the names of those Captains were wiped from all records along with the payments of their silence. However there was one of them which actually helped the investigators find out the truth. One which may have felt guilty all these years for what he had done."

Cassandra got to her feet and turned away. "No, my father would never have done that."

"War makes people do things they don't want to do, Cassandra-"

"NO!" She cried.

Cassandra shook her head unable to believe that her father would kill so many innocent people. She found it hard for her to believe that her father had killed people full stop but that didn't stop it from being true. He was in a war for goodness sake. But did that mean that he could be excused for killing a few people? Just because of the time in history they just happened to be living and participating in? He was a good man. He was a man of justice and would never be bought so cheaply for silence over such a thing. He would rather be hanged. Her father was always so kind, so gentle he would not even raise a gun to a pirate without giving him or her a fair trial. However the more she thought about it the more it made sense with the huge inheritance. Perhaps there were some things which her father kept from her. Maybe this was something which had been conducted with Captain Felnela, that may have been the real reason why the Richardson's always held a grudge against the Felnela's for so many years.

"Wh-why would he do something like that?" She said aloud. She wasn't asking Diana this, she was asking herself. "It doesn't make-"

She raised her shaking hand to her lips to stifle her sobs. She couldn't erase the memory of her parents. The happy memory. She couldn't allow this to mar the memory that she had of them.

"Cassandra?"

Cassandra stood up straight and wiped her face from the one tear which escaped from her eyelid. She turned round and faced Diana.

"Why would your father mention that when you said my father's name?"

Diana looked away and shrugged. "He didn't say. He just started talking about the Celestial Wars and then started going down another thread. He does that Cassandra he's getting old now."

Cassandra shook her head. "No. There must be a reason why he did that. No one mentions something like that just on a whim or because it seems vaguely related."

"Yes they can." Diana insisted.

Cassandra shook her head and turned around. She stared at the wall darkly and without turning around.

"I don't think I can carry on having this conversation with you."

"Cassandra, no. We need to talk about this-"

"Diana." She interrupted sharply. "I can't have this conversation right now. I think- I need some sleep. I can't think about this right now. Okay?"

She immediately regretted snapping at her when she saw the expression on her face. It was the same look a parent saw when their child had realised they had pushed their parents beyond their point of tolerance. Cassandra was almost frightened of the expression on her face. She seemed almost accepting of the fact that she was never going to get an answer out of Cassandra. That like many other battles between them, this was going to be yet another she was never going to win. She hated her assertive nature now. She was pushing people away. Not saving them from their problems. It wasn't her place to judge them but then again Diana was different. She needed someone to fight her battles for her because...She just wasn't strong enough. She was too scared to make the selfish decision and thought solely of her family. It was something to be commended but at the same Cassandra wished she could think about herself for once. Diana nodded and slipped back underneath the sheets not taking her eyes off the back of Cassandra. It would be best to leave this conversation until morning. She stood there for a while just staring at the wall. Diana started to become frightened and almost got out of bed to see if she was okay. The rustle of the bed sheet made her head turn slightly. Diana slipped back in and feared she might do something. Cassandra eventually slipped into her own bed and slept.

That night was long and sleepless. Neither of the girls slept. None of them talked to one another either out of fear that the other may be asleep or if not it would unsettle that peace between them which hung within the uncomfortable silence between them. They both had things on their minds as well. They were too preoccupied with their own thoughts to talk to one another. For Diana is was out of anxiety and guilt. She should never have said anything but she would feel that heaviness weigh down on her more which each day that would pass by with her not telling Cassandra what she knew. She was also guilty of what had happened to her friend now that she knew this. For Cassandra it was out of fear. Fear that her father wasn't the man she thought he was. Fear of what was going to happen after this day. She had to admit that this life was comfortable, it would be easy to just slip into it and allow her to slip into another comfortable, secure life as a man's wife. But she knew she couldn't do that because it scared her more to give in knowing that she could have had another life when she was already trapped.

~ (***) ~

When the dawn came everything was brighter than any other dawn she had seen. None of them had slept but when there was the first sign of light they still had that same feeling of wakefulness when you woke to a new day. Cassandra reached out to the window quietly in case Diana was asleep and peered out the window. She felt like this was it. This was the countdown to the end. Well, it wasn't the end, but it was the end of an era. It was the end of a period of time when she just had to put up with the struggles everyone else was throwing at her. She almost forgot about the conversation from last night. It was the same but it was almost like she didn't realise how bright it actually was. She dressed and walked out in the gardens early in the morning. She needed some air. She needed to think about what she was going to do next. First she would write to Mr Wick, the lawyer to tell him a date for them to meet. She would ask Selina first when she and her mother could escort her so that the school nor her brother would be able to find out about anything. She would have to begin to make preparations now. When she returned to her room she found Diana sobbing on her bed, holding a letter in her hand and Selina with her arm around her. Selina looked up when she came into the room and laid her friend down gently and marched up to her, slamming the door behind her.

"What's going on?" Cassandra asked.

"Where have you been?" Selina demanded angrily.

"What is going on?" Cassandra hissed.

"She's been crying her eyes out and you haven't been here to comfort her." Selina snapped.

"About what? What's happened?"

"There's a letter." For a moment Cassandra thought she was referring to hers and was about to talk but Selina continued. "A letter she received this morning from her Grandmother. The Duke has demanded that she now take a voyage in two weeks time for it is time for them to marry."

Cassandra gaped at Selina. Until now she believed that this wasn't really going to happen. That he might break it off and all would be well. Obviously this was not the case.

Cassandra took in a deep breath as she peered at a distraught Diana through the crack in the door. "How is she?"

"How do you think? She also mentioned you both had an argument last night." She commented.

"How was I supposed to know she was going to receive her prison sentence today?"

Selina frowned and her and leaned against wall with one hand as she gave her a calculating look. "You know, we may see eye to eye on the whole marriage thing but I was never as extreme as you. I'm a sceptic yes but I do know that there can be some happy marriages like Sophia's something you won't admit to. You act like its a horrible, terrible thing everyone should avoid like its some disease."

Cassandra stepped back and shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe it is."

"Not always, Cassandra. There can be some, genuine cases where people can be happy together." She replied in a shaky voice.

"And Diana is one of those cases?"

"Of course not. But I am getting sick of this. I'm starting to think that it really has something to do-"

"It's got nothing to do with Captain Hawkins!" She screams.

Selina stepped back and nodded her head. "Thought so."

Cassandra sighed and turned back to the sobbing girl in the room, alone with her burden. She was certainly glad that she didn't have a pushy Grandmother like her. Or that her brother was that pushy. She knew that if she screamed at him enough that she would be able to stop him from making her marry someone against her will. He may be the head of the family but she was the terror of the Richardson's and she didn't receive that reputation for no reason and without any effort involved. She knew she couldn't leave her now. She had to wait for her own chance at freedom before Diana departed from her own. She had to give her friend all the comfort that she needed in order to let her go without a guilty conscience. She secretly began to blame herself. Maybe if she had went about last nights argument in a different way maybe it would be a letter of breaking it off. It was two weeks so she would be able to find some time to see Mr Wick before she left so hopefully everything could be settled before she returned from the voyage. She was going to with Diana, she may not have been there for her this morning but she was going to be there for her on the last weeks of freedom and on the night before they would last see each other for a while or at all for that matter face to face. Like Diana wanted she was going to make a future for her own.


	22. Disembarking

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Disembarking

_Two weeks later..._

For **Ghille Dhu**

Diana was trying not to cry. Cassandra could tell that much from the expression on her face and her body language. She glanced in her friends direction every now and then but turned away quickly when Selina caught her eye. She still hadn't forgiven her even though two weeks had passed by since Diana had received news that she was going to be getting married soon. Cassandra was getting a little tired of this considering that she had done nothing wrong and wasn't the cause for her friends distress. Also Diana had insisted that Cassandra was not to blame for her troubles, but still Selina persisted in giving Cassandra the cold shoulder. Partly it was because she knew she had already gone to see her solicitor with concerns about her inheritance and with what she was going to do after she had officially left the Academy. Cassandra had made the visit a week ago on a cold afternoon and found Mr Wick a gentle, sensitive man and felt that he did have some paternal concern towards her. He nodded sympathetically and gave her sad smiles when she told him of her father's death and of her time from that day onwards. She found that Mr Wick was another from the older generation who accepted the changes in women's rights and saw that there was no point in swimming against the currents.

"I'm surprised that in this day and age your brother feels that had he had to send you to a finishing school if I'm perfectly honest." He remarked at some point in their meeting.

Cassandra gave him a polite smile and answered, "As you can imagine, Mr Wick, I completely agree with you however my brother is unfortunately one of those traditionalists who thinks they can still uphold the old ways and even bring them back perhaps."

"No point swimming against the tide." Mr Wick grumbled.

She laughed at this remark and nodded in agreement. "Quite, Mr Wick."

He frowned and inquired, "What do you plan on doing, Miss Richardson?"

"I had the intention of following in my father's footsteps for some years, Mr Wick. In fact a number of years before his death. I intend to pursue that occupation."

"It will not be easy, Miss Richardson. They require experience and usually if this proves to be difficult for you to attend a college which they have available for a couple of years. Then of course the seven years at the Interstellar Academy. Unfortunately you may not have enough money to fund all that. At least not enough to pay for the last couple of years at the Academy."

"I shouldn't worry about that, Mr Wick. I intended on getting a job anyway for the summers."

This went on for a while until Mr Wick was convinced that the young woman had thought these matters through quite thoroughly and was determined to make sure that she got through her studies without any problems. He told her that he intended on putting a recommendation forward to the college since he deemed it unlikely that she would be able to get into the Interstellar Academy without sufficient education in the subjects she would be studying. Once he had explained why he thought so she came to understand why he saw things from that perspective and was no longer offended when at first she thought he was thinking her a mere woman and inferior to knowledge of such things. He also assured her that he would search for sufficient lodgings and jobs for her since it was perfectly clear that her elder brother wouldn't approve of her actions therefore living under his roof would be out of the question of course. She thanked him before she left and even braved a hug to show her appreciation. He almost jumped back if Cassandra hadn't hugged him so tightly and chuckled out of embarrassment. He stared at her for a moment unsure of how to interpret this or deal with such a situation. It was something he found more surprising than untoward.

"So how did the meeting so with Mr Wick?" Selina asked, almost spitting at the mention of his name while she wrapped an arm around Diana's shoulders.

Cassandra sighed and shrugged her shoulders trying to seem as if she wasn't bothered by her friends acidity.

"He's a lawyer." She replied. "Kinder than most."

Selina grinned, almost maliciously. "I can see how he seemed kinder than most." She muttered.

Cassandra shook her head and turned away. "I don't know why you asked if the topic angers you so."

"Who said I was angry?" Selina asked in an innocent voice.

Cassandra gripped on the sides of her seat and shook with confined, blazing fury and cast her eyes onto the view. The world seemed to falling down from where she sat in the transporter with birds flying across the open air. The sky was so open and wide she almost mistook it for the sea. They were embarking on their journey from Montressor Space port. She remembered being there only twice in her life. The first she was too gloomy to appreciate her visit. The second she was embarking on her first, short-lived adventure and then there was now. It seemed to her that from all the occasions she was there it was more associated with sadness and loss rather than anything else.

"Where are we meeting your Grandmother again, Diana?" Selina asked through gritted teeth.

"She said she would already be on the boat." She answered.

"Of course she would." Cassandra muttered.

"Sorry, Cassandra did you say something?" Selina asked sweetly. Cassandra rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"Please...Selina could you stop being angry at Cassandra?" Diana begged. "She did nothing wrong."

"Of course she didn't. Because Cassandra never does anything wrong. Do you Cassandra? No there's nothing wrong with her not being there for you when you needed a friend. There's nothing wrong with her being more concerned with her own future than yours, considering that hers will be happier and more prosperous."

"We have arrived at Monstressor Space Port!" The overhead speaker announced.

Cassandra muttered a prayer of thanks and got up from her seat. She left Selina to help Diana up since she knew it she assisted in any way Selina would not be best pleased. She had enough of her malice and frustrations. She had decided that this conflict will only be ended once she decides to end it not Cassandra. She stepped out the carriage ignoring the hand held out for her from the driver. She was too desperate to escape from the carriage to notice it and if she was honest she had no need of a hand to climb out of the carriage. She turned to him sharply and gave him a thankful smile for the outstretched hand all the same. The driver nodded to her and when she was satisfied that she had caused him no offence she cast her eyes to her surrounding and stared in wonder. She smiled warmly as the old feelings of awe and affection flooded back from the place her heart was set and where she felt she truly belonged.

She took in a deep breath of the pure, clear sky air. She suddenly felt calm and at peace after she had done this. The anger towards Selina and Diana's grandmother seemed to dissolve if only for a few moments. The breeze blew gently in her hair and brushed against her neck and cheeks. She went around the carriage to tell the porters the name of the ship they were travelling on since she had noticed that no one had informed them of this information. Perhaps it was the fact that Selina was so preoccupied by comforting Diana and tormenting Cassandra that she was beginning to neglect the duties she had announced to take on since she deemed Cassandra not worthy enough to do so. All the same, Cassandra at least swallowed her pride in picking up the pieces Selina left in case it spelled for disaster which Selina would take out on her anyway.

Diana looped her arm in hers and smiled. "Cassandra I really am glad you're here."

Cassandra replied with a sad smile. "I know. But you could've asked Sophia to come. She will know of the things to come and would've been more of a comfort and...useful than I."

Diana shook her head. "No more than you are a comfort to me." She assured her. "Besides she's married. Her duty is to her husband, not to her friends."

Cassandra quickly grabbed her arm and stared into her eyes. "You don't think that's the life you're bound to is it?"

Diana blinked with surprise. "Well...Isn't that what you've always thought of marriage?"

Selina who had been slyly paying attention to some of this conversation raised an eyebrow and leaned closer however turned the other way to seem like she wasn't listening in on the conversation.

"I suppose...I've changed my mind. I don't know anything about the man you're about to marry but I hope that you can find some way where you can be happy. I mean that. Truly." She implored.

Diana blinked again, not knowing whether her friend was truly being honest or whether she was just saying something to give Diana at least a little comfort in her situation. This was something Cassandra did often, even more so since she had found out she was engaged to a man she had never seen or met. Perhaps Cassandra pitied her and was trying to find some way where Diana could see the silver lining of her situation. However Cassandra was the sort of person to go down fighting in such a situation, never one to make the most that she could in a situation. Then again Diana knew she wasn't Cassandra and so did she. She turned away and quickly and briefly exchanged a glance with Selina. The look on her face told Diana that she too was at a crossroads when it concerned on how to interpret Cassandra's little speech. She looked a little sceptical but at the same time she also looked worried, as if she preferred her being a cynic when it came to marriage. After witnessing this sudden, public change in her opinion in marriage Diana and Selina seemed more frightened of their friend rather than doubtful. What did this mean for Cassandra's future? Did this mean that she was going to throw her freedom away?

"Lady Firestone?"

All three girls looked and Cassandra's eyes widened more than any of them when she saw the owner of the voice.

"George?"

Cassandra's fair brother walked down the plank and frowned at Diana. "Are you on the voyage set sail for a marriage to the Duke of Orion?"

While she hesitated George glanced at Cassandra who glared at him. "Yes." She answered finally. "I did not know you would be the Captain of the voyage, sir."

"Er- No. I am the first mate, actually. I'm in my last year. Finally." He added with a weak smile. He then remembered his manner and moved out of the way for the young ladies to pass but took Diana's hand and led her up the plank.

"I have been told you have been engaged to him for a number of years." He observed.

Diana laughed a little. "Two years at most, sir."

"Still enough time to be suspicious of the man you're marrying ma'am." He replied as they stepped onto the deck.

"Why should I be suspicious of him, Mr Richardson?"

George tilted his head. "Who would want to wait so long to be in the arms of such a beautiful woman."


	23. Meet the Captain

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Meet the Captain

For **delphigirl689**

Well he hoped that she was finally having second thoughts with how she had been dealing with the family situation for these past few years. George cast a dark look in his sisters direction after the porter had brought the last of the luggage on board. She knew now that she had this coming. She must have felt all those regrets which she chose to ignore for all these years all together within this moment. She knew this was because she had failed to tell him that he had rested his hopes in a person which was already promised to another. She knew that now. She knew he partly did this because he wanted her to feel how he felt. He wanted to know what it was like to have someone so close to you but know that they were as out of your grasp as someone on the other end of the universe. However there was a smirk on his face as if to say _I-know-something-you-don't-know_. She narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head as if to say back at him that he was being immature. She cast her eyes to the Heavens asking what on earth had she done to deserve this. After everything she had done, she was so close now and then this had to happen. Selina noticing the coldness between the two siblings decided to step in and take her revenge further by engaging in pleasant conversation with her brother which was something George Richardson would take pleasure in doing.

Cassandra rolled her eyes and turned away, deciding to look over the view to distract herself from all of this. It would be petty and ridiculous to allow herself to be bothered by such a thing since that was what they wanted. They both exchanged a secret glance and then temporarily glanced in Cassandra's direction for a moment. Selina drew Diana into the conversation knowing that her friend would be comforted by speaking with such a handsome, polite young man. She also noticed from the exchange that they two shared an attraction to one another, something which gave Selina an idea. One which she knew Cassandra would not approve of but may be able to help Diana with the problem she was facing. Cassandra looked away most of the time trying not to seem too vexed by the whole situation however was unable to resist a glance every now and then. At one moment she heard Selina give out a dramatic gasp and cast a shocked look in Cassandra's direction. She knew this was a ply to get her to notice her since she giggled afterwards with the look of conspirator hiding behind her hand. Cassandra rolled her eyes and decided to ignore it. She didn't feel the need to care for such things any more. She wished already for this voyage to be over and leaned over the side taking in deep breaths of air.

"Cassandra?"

Cassandra took in a sharp, deep breath when she heard his voice. She thought she would never hear his voice again and so close to her as well. She never thought that she was going to see him again but that was part of the plan. She knew it would be easier if she separated herself from him. Her heartbeat began to beat faster than a solar surfer soaring across the sky. All those old feelings she had towards him, good and bad came rushing back so quickly she didn't know how she was going to stop it. She paled over at the sight of him, much to George and Selina's pleasure. She almost felt like her hair was going grey she was getting so stressed out by the situation. She knew before even turning round to see who it was that it was _him_. Her hands which were resting on the side shook with fear and nervousness. She stared out onto the view as if trying to pretend that she hadn't heard his voice or wasn't there. That was why Selina gasped so suddenly, knowing that it would bring Cassandra much displeasure in him being there. It also explained the smirk on George's face considering that he knew how she parted ways with him. This was honestly going to be the worst day of her entire life.

"Cassandra." Jim repeated. He rested his hand close to hers and leaned in slightly however not that close so her face so he wouldn't startle her.

Cassandra still jumped back as if she had touched hot water. "Mr Hawkins!"

Jim blinked at the young woman's behaviour as well as how much she had changed over the past couple years since he had seen her. He had to admit to himself that she wasn't the only one who was a little bit unsettled by the sight of her. She had grown even more slimmer but her figure and chest seemed more womanly, for lack of a better word, than before. The low cut on the neck he supposed exaggerated this more though. Her dark, shining hair seemed curlier than before and the strands of hair which escaped her loose bun hung by the sides of her face like gentle, twisty vines. Her bright green eyes seemed more darker and more piercing than before and almost drew Jim into them. She was a pleasant girl to look at but he found now that like wine a woman grew more delicious with age. He remembered about a year ago on a voyage he had to visit a Queen of a planet he was passing through. She wasn't exactly beautiful but there was something about her gaze. She had gotten rather old but she was still attractive. It was something just about the aura she sent about the room...He then raised his eyebrows wondering that if this was the case goodness knows what would happen once she hit forty. He took a step forward but then she took a step back. He tilted his head to the side and gave her a look and took another step forward however this time also took her wrist gently to stop her from running away.

"Miss Cassandra. I would appreciate you didn't ignore me." He said in a stern voice.

Cassandra continued to look in a different direction until she braved a look in Mr Hawkins direction and curtsied.

"Good afternoon, Mr Hawkins."

"Actually that's Captain Hawkins."

Cassandra felt like her legs were wobbling and almost sank down into the ground. _Captain..._

_Hawkins?_

"Congratulations." She wavered.

_Captain Hawkins? _She was shaking all over when she heard this being said to her. She knew that last time they had spoken he mentioned that there may have been the possibility that he may be promoted to this title but saying that meant that you could only hope for that promotion to come in the next five years at the very least. Did this mean she had to abide by the rules of the space code or by _Captain _Hawkins? If that was the case she knew this was only going to be more difficult than the last voyage that she took with him. This meant that she would be trapped in his web. That he would finally be able to do what he wanted of her, which was to be submissive to his demands and to allow her to think that he was allowed to help her when she didn't need any. Not any longer. He knew that much and he knew that now she was eighteen and could finally make her way in the world. She shook her head dreading the thought of what he might do while she was under his care. She had put Helen under his care but that was only because she trusted him to be good to Helen and Helen would benefit more from his kindness and generosity than she would. She wasn't thinking along the lines of something a drunken, promiscuous man but one, and something he had proven to be, an overbearing, insistent man who believed it was his duty to care and pet over. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

"Thank you." He replied with a slight grin on his face. "Is it so difficult to be in my presence?"

She glanced in the direction of her brother and Selina whose shoulders seemed to be shaking which made Cassandra shake with anger.

"Yes, considering how we parted last time we met." She replied curtly.

"What part are you angry at?" He demanded in an angry which was so sudden it surprised

Cassandra in the midst of her own anger. Cassandra was quiet after he asked this question not only was it because she was speechless but also because she actually had to think why she was actually angry about their last meeting. She was angry because he was trying to control her, as it seemed. However she didn't want to tell him this because she was sure it would give him a reason to carry on pressing his petition to her on the instance that he was doing otherwise. She wasn't sure though what other reason there could be for being so insistent on trying to help her. She had told him that she had a plan and that she would be fine however this didn't seem to satisfy. He had to have a part to play in helping her. His pride annoyed her. It seemed to be a trait shared amongst Space Captains. She could at least admit to her own pride. She knew she had some flaws but she knew it was a redeeming virtue to acknowledge them. However there was a small part of her which was angry at herself. When she looked back on the night and as she lying in bed she thought about the emotions which were running through her and it was something she recognised as regret. She thought back to the day when Helen last left her and even though she gave off that she had regrets she she was sure she had more than anyone in the galaxy.

She looked up at him and considered the answer to give him. She didn't want to lie to him because she knew being caught in the web of deceit was soon a hard maze to escape from.

"At myself." She answered in a quiet voice.

Jim's hard expression softened slightly and looked down at her with confusion clouding his eyes.

"At yourself?" He almost laughed.

Jim Hawkins didn't know Cassandra as intimately as her friends nor her brother but he knew her well enough that she was a proud creature under that beautiful face. He was sure that she had been able to charm many others into thinking that she had no faults of her own but he saw both the darker side of this girl as well as her qualities as well. She could be quite a vicious harpy behind those alluring dark eyes but one thing she was not was someone who could confess her own wronging. He wasn't sure whether she should have been sent to a girl's boarding school. That environment would probably make it worse or would allow some other girl to fall into her dangerous clutches. Then again she wouldn't do something like that. That was something so aristocratic, social-climbing witch would do. And yes that was said in a sarcastic voice, in his head. She was too proud for that. She could be able to admit her faults to herself but not to others. If there was someone who became close enough then yes maybe she could but as far as he knew there was no one who could be close enough to her as yet for her to have the confidence in admitting them. Maybe she was now tired of having to put up with it and now she was going to throw in the towel. She was going to admit that everyone else was right, maybe she was being too proud, too selfish towards others for being a martyr towards everyone else.

She glared at him and nodded. "Yes, _Captain _Hawkins. I am angry at myself. There you have my answer now may I join my companions?"

"Not quite yet." He answered in a slow, unsure voice. "First I want to clear some things up before you go. First I want to know why you're angry at yourself. Why?"

Cassandra looked around to find Selina, Diana and George were gone. There were a few crew members looking in their direction where Captain Hawkins took her up the steps to his office. He slammed the door behind him and turned his determined gaze back onto her.

"So, you were just about to tell me why you are angry at yourself, Miss Richardson."

She stared back at him and replied through gritted teeth. "Because I...I can't help but be angry at myself for being hateful towards you."

She was being honest in telling him this. She didn't even know why she was giving him the satisfaction of knowing the truth. Maybe because the truth might shut him up for once. Because he knew there was always something that she was hiding from him? Why did he have to be such a smart-ass? For once she was actually being honest with him. That was what she hated herself for. She didn't want him to think that she hated _him _but hated the way he was behaving about the situation and his actions. She never hated him. She had always thought that she hated him but deep down she was just annoyed at this whole situation and threw all those frustrations onto him. It just made it all the more easier for her to deal with it. It would keep him at a distance and she would be able to vent her anger into something. How could she hate him? She just hated how he was handling the situation and didn't want him to control her. No one was allowed to control her. Sometimes there were hours which would pass by where he was always in her thoughts. She hated herself for making him feel so wretched, if she did or made him have any feelings that hurt him deeply. He had a look in his eyes which told her that he could almost read her mind and knew there was more to say than the simple answer she gave him.

She took a deep breath. "I would also hate myself if I made you feel...bad about yourself."

Jim laughed. "Don't worry you didn't?"

His amusement angered Cassandra slightly but she maintained her posture and dignity. "In that matter. That is the only reason. I don't hate you. I just hate..."

"So there is another reason. Well?"

She glared at him and was quiet for a few moments before answering him. "I look back at it in hate because you were trying to control my destiny when I was able to handle it very well by myself." She snapped.

Jim rubbed his eyes and growled in his hands. "I wasn't trying to control you I was trying to help you but being the stubborn, proud woman that you are you refused it because you don't want other people to help you. Now that's the second thing I want to clear up."

"Shouldn't you be attending to the ships launch, Captain?" She replied curtly.

He surveyed her with a cool eye. "Don't presume you know about such things, Miss Richardson."

His words made her eyes sting, her body shiver and hit her like a hurricane. She might as well have been told that there was no way in any galaxy that she was going to be able to be what she always dreamt of being since she was a little girl. And from the person who told her years ago that she could be anything she wanted. He was really the first person who she told. Her father just always knew what his daughter wanted. She shook with fury, despair and heartbreak. She stepped back slightly and stared at him, gripping the desk behind her until her knuckles were white. He saw that he broke through that thick, strong wall and now was seeing her at when she was most sensitive and relished as well as regretted it at the same time. If she was ten years younger she would be crying her eyes out. However now as a young woman it was her duty to make such public displays of such emotions. A change which he also came to despise in her, once there was a time when she didn't care for such things. When she was free, this was a quality he liked her for the most.

"I..."

"Don't apologise." She interrupted. She shook her head and made her way to the door. "Please don't apologise."

He caught her by the arm and whispered in her ear. "I didn't dismiss you."

Her eyes blazed when they met his and replied in a furious voice, "So you are my master as well as my jailer now?"

"Since when did I give you the impression that you were imprisoned here? We haven't launched yet there is more than enough time for you to leave."

"I am here to act as a comfort to my friend. Despite the fact that the other is at odds with me at the moment since I have...she thinks I've wronged Diana. Not that this is any of your concern."

"Yes. So instead of wasting my time as well as yours. Tell me why you refuse my help."

"What help could you give me?" She burst out. "I would be a burden on you and I would regret that more than you ever could and I add that only because I don't want to make any presumptions on your part. I would not want you to bring you down with my ruin, Captain Hawkins because I would never be able to forgive myself. After you doing so well despite your position in society and yet again I mean no offence by making this comment but I would hate to see your efforts go to waste. So there, sir. That is my answer and I hope that is the last of your questions because I really need to go and reunite with my companions. Thank you."

~ (***) ~

She couldn't believe she was doing this again. She had told herself countless times that she wasn't going to see Kathy again. She knew it would only get her into trouble. She knew eventually she was going to get caught. Usually she would make house calls such as this during the night time but that was when Kathy was most busy with her most recent 'benefactor' so she had to make do with visiting her during the day, even when it put her life on the line but she knew she would never hear the end of it.

She knocked on the door and found herself face to face with the familiar character who simply grunted at her and nodded towards the stairs. Marianne nodded grimly and decided to follow her even though she would rather not be here and she knew the maid would rather she wasn't here either.

She went through the door without giving the old woman a second glance and went straight through the small rooms of Kathy's living quarters and found her with her face buried in her arms.

She frowned and picked up her skirts so that she could get to her quickly. "Kathy? Kathy are you alright?"

The other woman looked up and smiled weakly. "Oh my Marie. You're here. I'm alright it's just...Oh its nothing. He was really nothing..."

Marianne pressed her lips together tightly. So another man had chucked her. She had Selina's father for a number of years. Before him she recalled her friend having a couple of men having her as their mistress but after Selina's father decided to dispose of her she had at least three different men from what she could remember Kathy telling her. She rubbed her back.

"You'll be fine, Kathy. You know that don't you?"

She nodded. "I suppose. I just wish...I wish Selina was here..."

"Well I thought school had broken up by now?"

"It has but she's gone with a friend to her wedding in Orion. It was Diana Firestone."

"Oh right...Who is she getting married to?" She questioned with fear rising in her stomach.

"To the Duke of course."

_Oh shit..._


	24. Untold Feelings

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

A/N: I just wanted to thank you guys for the support and reviews. I have my exam results tomorrow and I find out whether I go to university or not. For those who don't live in the UK I think it works a little differently when it comes to college applications but basically you sit the exam, the paper gets sent to an examiner on the other side of the country and you have to wait for something like six to nine weeks from when you sit the exam as to whether you actually get into the university you want to go to. So I'm kind of on edge at the moment since the results are coming within the next few hours so... Touch wood. Cross your fingers. Wish me luck. Anything! Seriously, anything would be appreciated! Ha, ha sorry. Anyway I will leave you now with my new chapter. Enjoy!

Untold Feelings

For **Totally CRAZY and Hyper**

Cassandra stomped in a very un-ladylike manner down the corridor after being directed to her sleeping quarters by her brother who greeted her with a victorious grin. She was still shaking from the confrontation she had with _Captain _Hawkins so running into her brother was not the sort of thing she needed at that moment in time. She rebuked him with a quick 'thank you' when he pointed her in the right direction (however there was a small voice in her head telling her that she should be careful taking his word for it) and carried on walking. Why men had to be so temperamental and demanding was beyond her and was even wondering whether she was even consider taking up a companion in the future let alone in the future. No matter how scandalous the idea was she idea of having a series of lovers rather than a single grew more appealing the more she thought how Mr- _Captain _Hawkins infuriated her. He also confused her with regards to the fact that she didn't hate him. How could you not hate someone who also annoyed you so intensely? If this was love she didn't want any more part of it.

She walked into the room slamming the door behind her. She didn't care if she startled Diana or angered Selina or even worse satisfied her by behaving like a child. She was that angry that she didn't care what was going on around her. She gave the apartment a quick glance before turning to the rest of the residents for the next few weeks. It had intricate design on the ceiling with gold panelled windows. It was spacious and white rather than some hideously feminine colour which Cassandra was likely to vomit at. The apartment had three separate rooms and a parlour where Selina and Diana were still sitting. The furniture was what Cassandra believed was fashionable but she wouldn't say she was sure as she never paid attention to such topics. She had better things to think about than what sort of style your chair should be just so you could please those who came to your home. Vases of flowers were dotted about the apartment like little clusters of stars, giving it a delicate and welcoming touch. In the parlour, a vase of red Chrysanthemums mixed with Gardenia sat in the vase with stars of Bethlehem trailing down the side. It hung on Diana's bent head as she sewed like a guardian angel would over a child in distress.

Selina was the first to notice that she had come into the room, Diana was too startled by the sudden sound of her slamming the door to see who it was.

"How was your reunion with Captain Hawkins?" Selina inquired. Cassandra met her amused gaze and shook her head and went into the only room which had unpacked suitcases in it and closed the door behind her.

She leaned her body against the door as she observed her own room which she was sure she had to seek solace from frequently on this trip. She knew that if she became acquainted with her room sooner rather than later the more homely it would seem. There was a window, thank goodness so she would have a beautiful view of the galaxies, stars that they would be flying past. She knew on those nights when she felt that she could have no faith in anything else she was only a few steps away on looking out at something which she knew she could faith in staying true to her. It was a fantasy of hers actually, being able to just look out the window at night and gaze up at the Heavens until the sun returned. She surveyed the room and noticed it was the smallest room out of all three rooms in the apartment which she was sure was the doing of Selina, still this wasn't something which bothered her and was rather glad as well. She hated being in a room which was too big for the amount of people occupying it. It made her feel safe and more at home.

She took the single suitcase she brought and put the few dresses, skirts and shirts which she had brought for the journey into the wardrobe by her bed. She delicately brought out the trousers which she wore on her first voyage she was sure she had grown out of but brought all the same and placed the boots beside the white wardrobe decorated with gold and cherubs. There was a four poster bed which looked like it could situate two children rather than two grown people so it was enough to satisfy Cassandra on her own. The floorboards creaked as if she was in a horror novel which seemed to occupy the attentions of so many young women her age. She rolled her eyes when she caught someone at her school reading the latest Gothic romance as she walked past.

"How do you like your sleeping quarters?" Selina asked in a satisfied voice. Cassandra slowed turned to face her and found her leaning against the door frame with her hand on her hip. Cassandra met her gaze confidently.

"I like them very much thank you." She replied calmly. She glanced around and turned back to unpacking her things. Selina sighed heavily. Cassandra, knowing she was trying to get her to turn back to her, ignored her.

Selina tapped her foot on the floor impatiently and then burst out in an angry voice. "I honestly wonder what goes on in that head of yours because I can never understand why you behave in such a-"

The ship suddenly lurched forward and Selina fell forward and would've fallen to the floor if Cassandra hadn't caught her.

"What was...?"

"That was the ship launching." Cassandra replied dryly and shook her head before turning back to her unpacking.

Cassandra began to wonder why everyone was throwing mixed signals at her lately. Why couldn't people try and be consistent with their feelings. Her most of all. It was bad enough that other people were doing it was making the conflicting emotions battling inside her more explosive when they collided. She didn't know what to feel or how she was supposed to feel about certain things or certain people. First Selina hated her but to express it in a cool manner, now she was shouting at her as if it was some way of helping her with a problem Cassandra refused for Selina to assist her in. Cassandra knew that Selina knew her troubles and the obstacles she face but that there was a way out of it and she had surely acted upon them already. She suspected that this was what vexed Selina more than anything.

Then there was Captain Hawkins. She didn't know where she was going to start when it came to him. Someone who annoyed her but she didn't hate. Someone she couldn't stop thinking and worrying about but always reminded her of her wretchedness. How was it that one man could make her feel like this and confuse her so much? Her of all people. She clenched her fists until her knuckles were white and tried to shake the thoughts of him away but they were plastered in her mind. His bright blue eyes. His perfect, handsome looks. His warm, comforting smile. All the positives seemed to be flooding in rather than the bad memories. Her eyes began to sting with involuntary tears which she quickly wiped away. Selina noticed this brief, slight gesture and stepped forward.

"Cassandra?" Cassandra's eyes shot up in her direction and held her gaze so intensely she almost wanted to knock Selina down with it. She turned away abruptly and returned to her occupation.

Angered by her pride Selina stepped forward, close enough to kiss her. "Cassandra answer me." She demanded in a venomous but desperate voice.

"Please leave me." Cassandra answered in a quiet, curt voice.

"I'm not leaving until you answer me. What's wrong with you? Is it what happened with Diana? If it is you can apologise to her and all will be well."

"It's not about Diana!" She cried. "It's nothing to do with her. Even though she has more troubles than I do which I am sorry for its not her which caused me to feel this way."

Cassandra had tears rolling down her cheeks and her face was drenched with despair. Her voice was husky and weak. She held onto the bed by one hand but she looked like she could still fall to the floor any moment. She had never felt this way before and never thought she would be able to feel so sad over another after the death of her parents. She thought after their deaths there would be no one who could make her feel so distraught. She had felt this way after Helen last saw her but she had a hope that Helen might be able to forgive her one day. Now she felt like all hope had vanished from the world when it came to Captain Hawkins forgiving her.

Selina hadn't known Cassandra her entire life but she knew she was not the one to be crying often. She was more the type to keep her troubles to herself and to hold back the tears. She was always the strong one and now she was the one crying that day rather than Diana. She wasn't sure as to whether she should scold her because of this. She knew that the moment that Cassandra would ever cry it would be when she was in a dire situation. One where the great, strong Cassandra Richardson couldn't face this problem on her own. Even if she couldn't admit that herself.

"Then who is then?"

Cassandra sat down on the bed and shook her head. She wasn't going to tell Selina. However the other girl was determined to get this out of her. Not just to torment her but so she would stop tormenting herself.

"Who is it Cassandra?" She demanded in a stern voice. She took her hand and gripped it tightly. She waited for the blank, still face to make some movement. For her lips to form a word or name.

"Hawkins."

Selina smiled slightly but blinked. "Hawkins? Has he...said something to upset you?"

"No. I mean he did but I think...I think I'm more distressed by how I have treated him." She replied finally.

Selina nodded understandingly and raised her eyebrows. She wasn't the least bit surprised that it was Cassandra also having problems with her love life. Selina knew she liked to put on this independent charade on and this was something which men seemed to be attracted to. However when that independent woman encountered a man she actually cared for she was at a dead end as to how to approach the situation.

Women like Cassandra liked their freedom and didn't want to be tied down by a man so they reacted by trying to seem like they did have any romantic feelings for them at all. They would soon regret it afterwards making them more emotional and their feelings for the man in question intensified. She remembered when Cassandra first introduced him to her and could see there was an attraction or a close relation between the two. She could also tell that the man cared for Cassandra very much but didn't have any intention of chaining her to the ground. He probably loved her sense of freedom more than anything else. When the mousey little girl came running warning her of what happened she knew that Cassandra and Hawkins loved one another. Selina remembered smirking to herself rather than running to her aid. Cassandra needed to start accepting the fact that she didn't have to go things alone.

"What happened?" She asked gently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I made him think that I hated him. I just hated how he was reacting to the whole situation with my brother. He wanted to help me but I wanted him to help Helen. My brother hated her and I knew he would throw her out so I asked Captain Hawkins to assist her in her studies of medicine. He was also determined to save me. I never told him the truth of why I always declined until today. It's because I don't want him to degrade himself on my part."

"You think society would look down upon him for what he would do for you?"

"Believe me my brother would arrange his funeral." Cassandra snapped shakily.

Selina tilted her head and smiled sadly. "Still. He would never regret helping you, Cassandra. I'm sure of it."

"I would though."

"Do you have to be so proud Cassandra?" Selina laughed. Cassandra found herself laughing with her and shrugged her shoulders.

"I suppose I can't help it."

Selina laughed and giggled for a little longer until her expression was suddenly solemn. "Do you love him?"

Cassandra was quiet and turned away and thought on this question. This was the question which loomed over her head for years. The one which she dread to confront because once she did she would have to answer it and she didn't want to answer yes or no because of what would follow if whatever answer she gave. Ever since she saw him after their first meeting she always found herself confused, stuck between how she did feel and how she was supposed to feel about him. As a little girl he was just an older person who was kind to her when she was too deep in her sorrow to appreciate it. However since she was fifteen it was something underlying every thought, comment and feeling she had towards him. She never thought about it directly but there was always the possibility that it was true.

"I..."

Selina gave her an expectant look and tried to encourage her to carry on but Cassandra could only ask a question rather than give an answer. A question which Selina didn't full understand unless she could've been able to read Cassandra's thoughts.

"Which would be the right one to take? Yes or No?"


	25. Diana's Salvation

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Diana's Salvation

For **crimsonwater5**

Diana left the room once Selina had gone to 'check on' Cassandra knowing that a battle was about to ensue. She couldn't understand why Selina couldn't simply forgive her. She knew that it would only be sensible and rather responsible for her to stay in case one didn't chuck the other out of the window however she didn't want to be caught in the crossfire as a result of her staying. She walked down the corridor with the sounds of the crew members above her running across the deck. She could see why Cassandra was so excited by the activity of a ship as well as being able to see all sort of worlds and places. Her heart began to beat a little faster when she walked up the stairs however there was a sudden force which pushed the ship forward but instead made Diana fall backwards. She felt like she was falling helplessly down in the sky. Her arms waving through open air. Thinking that she was going to fall down the stairs she found that she was caught by a young man with fair hair and clear eyes.

"Mr Richardson." She greeted in a startled voice.

"Lady Firestone. Are you alright?" He asked.

Diana held her hand to her chest breath taken by the concern in his eyes. She remembered the day when they first met. She had never told anyone this but she had seen him before they were introduced that day. He looked over in her direction with the same concerned expression.

She nodded. "Yes. Thank you, Mr Richardson. What happened exactly?"

"The ship just launched. I should've been up on deck but I had to check on the controls. But it looks like it's a good thing I went down below..."

She took in a deep breath and couldn't stop herself from smiling. She took the hand he offered her and led her up the stairs.

"So, Lady Firestone. Do you know much of the Duke of Orion?"

She pressed her lips together tightly and shook her head. "No. I mean I have been told about his appearance and his interests but I have only exchanged a few letters with him. Few enough to count how many."

"I'm getting more astounded by the behaviour of this man by the second." He mused. "If I were him I would be writing to you every hour."

She laughed and gripped onto the side of the ship, looking out onto the view. "Mr Richardson I think your compliments may have to be questioned as to whether they are genuine as they are so…...over the top."

"I assure you, Lady Firestone it is all genuine." He replied sternly and with a serious expression painted on his face.

He looked away briefly back out onto the view and was quietly for a long time. Diana had the look on her face as if she was his wife about to place her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"I never wanted to tell you but...I think there is something you should know about your husband."

"Is he old? Feeble? Insane?" She joked.

He shook his head. "No. I do not wish to joke but I am surprised that he has paid less attention to you as he always loved to be in the company of beautiful women. If you understand my meaning? I am just wondering whether there is something amiss in this marriage..."

"Have you spoken to your sister?" She asked in a frightened voice.

Her tone suddenly sent alarm bells ringing in his head. Her eyes were startled and alarmed at what his words implied however he knew they had a totally different intention. He could recognise this look after having the childhood and early step into adulthood he had. Now, George Richardson was beginning to speculate whether there really was something amiss in the marriage rather than it simply being one arranged and to some extent against her will. He knew on the day that he first saw her that there was something troubling her to the point of silent distress and now he knew she was more than reluctant to go on this voyage because of it's destination.

She gripped the side of the ship and saw that she was trembling. She couldn't breath from the fear of him finding out her secret. There was something else. He knew it now, that there was something else which she wasn't telling him. Something that she didn't want anyone to know but she had still confided it to someone because it was too terrible a secret to conceal to herself. She didn't want to be suffering by herself so she decided to tell another to ease the pain and the one that she chose was his sister. Cassandra. The one who always believed that she could deal and handle other people's problems as well as her own. However even then he could see from time to time that inside Cassandra was screaming and crying at her own situation. Deep down she needed some to protect her and hold her hand. But she refused to allow anyone to do this because she was too proud.

"What is it-"

"George!" George turned around to find Jim walking up to his eyeing him suspiciously. He grinned at him knowing the game he was playing but knew he would have to have a firm word with him later about this.

"Are you bothering, Lady Firestone here?" He asked in jest.

"Not at all. In fact we're just enjoying the scenery."

"Ah, Lady Firestone." He greeted bowing. She held a hand to where her bodice was and held her skirt with the other as she bowed.

"Captain Hawkins. May I take this opportunity to thank you for accepting the post of captain of this voyage?"

"Of course you can." He laughed. "But still I think there is more need to thank you, my Lady."

Jim, very shamefully, took a moment to examine Lady Firestone and found that he wasn't the least bit surprised that George had taken a liking to her. She was pale but had rosy cheeks and delicate features. When Cassandra Richardson was pale to almost the extent of being almost vampirac who had sharp feature but also had delicate features but didn't look delicate. Lady Firestone looked more like a china doll waiting to smash. She had light red, curly hair which was easily managed over and had bright, kind eyes which was clear as day. Cassandra's eyes were dark and magnetic. She almost wanted to pull you into a spell she was unconscious of casting making her all the more dangerous. Miss Richardson's hair was more wild and uncontrollable, failing to remain in the bun she always tied her hair in. In short she was a beautiful, conventional young woman any man would be lucky to have. Cassandra was beautiful in a dark, wild and natural sense. It would take particular men to be lucky to have her as well as being able to manage her.

She giggled nervously and shook her head. "No sir. I assure you such compliments aren't necessary for Mr Richardson has provided more than enough."

"I see." He replied glancing at his friend with a smile.

"You must forgive her gentleman." Purred a woman's voice. "She is not used to receiving compliments which she has long needed and deserved however have been unjustly hasn't been given until now."

Selina Gondola loitered over to the two gentleman and Diana wrapping an arm around her waist affectionately.

"Miss Gondola. It's a pleasure to see you again." George greeted kissing her hand. Jim also did the same where she gave him a suspicious smile.

"It is. Ah, you have decided to come up after all, Cassandra."

Jim turned to find the young woman cowering in the shadows as she walked up the stairs. She had stopped as if to reconsider coming up on deck but now that she had been spotted she carried on walking. When their eyes met she looked like she might fall back in the darkness. She was shaking and thought she was looking into the face of her greatest fear. She gave him a polite nod and turned to her brother and did the same. Jim had never seen her behave in such a manner, it frightened him. More than she had ever done. She was so distressed and she was determined to hide it better than she had done before and remain silent when really she wanted to scream out to the heavens. She was strangely quiet, her expression abnormally sober. It showed no anger, scorn or hatred. However there was a hint of there being some distress.

Of course their conversation would leave both parties being in some distress especially with her parting words which still echoed in this thoughts and would do so for many years to come. He was shocked and stunned by her words. As soon as she walked out his office he blinked and leaned against his desk. He stood their for many minutes until he got his act together and got back to his duties but his thoughts were still preoccupied with her. As they released the sails he thought of her passionate voice speaking those unspoken, uneasy words. As they readied the engines all he could remember with the distressed, desperate expression in her eyes. He couldn't help it. He couldn't deny it any longer.

"Miss Richardson." He greeted stiffly. "I am sad that you did not see the launch."

"Oh I had things to attend to. Things that I know well about as I was once told that I should keep to things that a woman should and only know and bother herself with." She replied.

These words were as abrupt and startling as throwing ice water on your face. Jim even stepped back slightly and blinked.

"What could a woman not know about a ship launch? Surely she could be taught if she wanted?" He replied, staring at her intently.

"Oh my sister would most definitely agree with you on that account. She has intention of entering the Interstellar Academy." George said.

Diana looked up and stared at Cassandra. "What? Oh Cassandra! That's wonderful! You have been accepted?"

"No, no. I have talked with Mr Wick and he said I would need to go to a college first since the Academy is unlikely to accept me due to my lack in education."

"What are you talking about? Father has taught you all you need to know about how to be a Space Captain." He laughed. "You must forgive, my sister Lady Firestone. She is extremely modest."

"I may be well learned, George but I don't have the qualifications to prove it and the man who knows of it is-" She stopped and looked down not wanting to look at the fallen expression on her brother's face.

"Yes but still it is the first step for our dear friend." Selina said warmly. "And we are happy for her. Most definitely for each others happiness is our happiness."

"As one's sadness is our sadness?" Cassandra shot back thinking of Diana. Selina stared back and nodded.

"Of course." She replied with her smiling face now turned into on of solemn sobriety.

Both the men knew of what they were referring to in their secret language and exchanged a glance. Jim feeling sorry for the lady in question and George fiercely hoping that he could find a way to aid and comfort her in some way.

"Anyway gentleman we must leave you to your work and we must return to ours." Selina said as cheerfully as she could.

"What work, Miss Gondola?"

"Oh you could be surprised, Mr Richardson." Selina purred over her shoulders.

Selina allowed Diana to walk ahead of them and wrapped a waist around Cassandra's waist to support her. She knew from the glance over her shoulder in George Richardson's direction that Diana was in love with him. She had the same enchanted, clouded expression on her face which many heroines gave to the heroes of the novel. Selina didn't indulge in these fantasies, like Cassandra she knew the world was a different place but love wasn't. She knew that even though it might mean ruin for them all, she knew conspiring was the only option to secure their friend's happiness. Even if Cassandra didn't approve.

"We must get them together." She whispered in her ear. "At all costs we must make them husband and wife."

Cassandra gave her a blank, shocked look where Selina was forced to shake her. "Think of her happiness, Cassandra. She is not as free as us."

Cassandra could only submit to giving a nod of consent.


	26. Everything Is Possible

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

A/N: Hey there! Sorry about the brief hiatus on updates. I've been busy with things in general along with other stories. Basically university plans have to be put on hold since I missed off the grade I needed oh-so-narrowly and the state of university admissions in Britain are a shambles since there's more people than ever wanting to apply and all that sort of thing. It's terrible. I thought I may have more time, if I got my act together, to submit chapters to all my stories but I have to do another year of school effectively but not exactly. It's still ambiguous as what lays in store for me this year but I also have to get a job...yay. I'm not good on getting jobs. Anyway, I hope you guys are having a better time with how your lives are going I hope you enjoy this new chapter.

Everything Is Possible

For **EventHorizon6**

Cassandra stared out the window as the ship slowly drifted through open space. This was where she was going to spend the rest of her life. Out in the open space where the sky wasn't just overhead but around you. There was no end to it. Everything seemed to be falling into place for everyone around her. Selina would be going to live in some exciting city doing whatever she wanted to do. She was too free-spirited to be tied down to a husband or to become a governess. They lived in a different world to that of the older generation. Diana had more chances of being in a happy marriage now that Selina was going to begin her scheming there was one word Selina didn't know the meaning of and that was failure. She had never encountered it because she didn't know how to fail. Cassandra's life on the other hand, seemed to be beginning from other people's perspective but she felt like she was going backwards. She knew all the things that they were going to be teaching her at the college she was just going to get a qualification in it. There was something which was also worried her. What if these studies dumbed her down? What if she no longer had a love for the subjects and just found herself at another dead end. She felt like she was going backwards not forwards. She was being held back by her insecurities and her fears whereas everyone was bounding forward to their bright happy futures and she was being left behind.

"Well," Selina said breathlessly as she walked into her room. "I think this has been a very eventful and informative day. Therefore it deserves a drink."

She handed Cassandra the glass which she gulped down before Selina could make a toast. She continued to stare out the window leaving Selina standing there with her glass and an eyebrow raised.

"Cheers." She muttered sarcastically. She sat down and stared at her friend intently until Cassandra would feel her eyes burning on her and turned round.

"What?" She snapped.

"I know when you're in a bad mood, dearest. Or when something's bothering me. Believe me, it's one of my gifts."

"Of course it is."

"Look don't talk back to me that way. It seems I have to be the one right now to sort you and Diana out so you better fess up. I know that there may be some romantic thoughts in that head of yours involving a certain young Space Captain but this is something else."

Cassandra sighed, hating Selina's aptitude for intuitions. "I feel lost."

"Lost? Why do you feel lost?" Selina laughed. "You know where your life is going now. You know what you're going to do with your life. It's me and Diana who still have to figure it out."

"But I feel like I'm not the one going anywhere. I wanted to be a Space Captain. I wanted to be going to the Interstellar Academy in a few weeks. Instead I'm being sent to a school where I'm going to learn things I already know amongst boys who didn't know what to do with their lives and will probably make my life a living hell."

"Yes, but you don't know that do you? Don't ever make presumptions about things you don't know until you're there."

Cassandra leaned against the window and sighed. "I still can't help thinking that I'm stuck. I'm at a wall and instead of having nothing there at all I have to climb over it in order to keep going."

"Don't you think other people have to go through that?"

"Of course I know that other people have to go through those things. I just don't understand why I have to be one of those people."

After Cassandra stopped speaking she almost felt ashamed of herself. Not only because she sounded like a wailing infant complaining that it wasn't so easy to make her own way in the world when she had been spoon fed her entire life but also because of Selina. Of all people she was saying this to her. Selina had a hard life from the very beginning. Society made it very clear to her that it wasn't going to make it easy for her when it came to making her way in the world. All because of the circumstances of her birth. It was cruel and it was unfair and Cassandra complaining about something which was trivial in comparison to Selina's problems was rather unfair also. Cassandra looked up to see Selina's reaction, praying that she wasn't offended or felt like she had been slapped around the face if she was in Cassandra's position at the moment. Selina was quiet for a moment. Cassandra thought for a moment she was going to leave and the next morning she would come to her and she would tell her to stop complaining about her life and think about how Diana had it harder than she did with another few weeks of ignoring her. She knew she would probably deserved it but she didn't want her friend to feel like her problems weren't important. In fact in some ways, they were more greater than Cassandra's.

"It's the adversity which makes us stronger. The harder the road the stronger we become." She said finally. Cassandra rolled her head and stared at Diana. "You should be grateful for that. Not see it as a curse."

Cassandra scoffed. "Why do you say that?"

Selina shrugged her shoulders. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." She replied. "People go through life with things being handed to them on a plate its only the people who really fought for their place in this world which are remembered. When they face obstacles they stand their ground and fight it. They survive. When they go through phases of suffering, the periods of happiness are longer in comparison. You've been through your fair share of that, I know but that's why you're so strong."

Cassandra shook her head. "No-"

Selina took her hand in her and stared into her eyes intently. "Don't let anyone take that from you. Most of all yourself."

Cassandra simply stared back at Selina and nodded. "Okay."

"You promise?"

"Promise." She replied in a shaky voice.

Selina wrapped her arms around her and they both stared up at the stars together. "They're so beautiful." She murmured. "No wonder you spend so much time looking up at the sky and I don't blame you for wanting to go up there."

"Whenever I look up I do it to remind myself I can do anything. Right now its making me feel like I'm smaller than ever. Like I'm nothing."

"You are not nothing." Selina whispered fiercely into her ear and kissed her on the cheek.

"Then what am I?"

"You're strong."

Hearing this again made Cassandra feel like she was being slapped around the face or punched in the face. She had heard the words 'strong' and 'determined' too often to describe her character but she knew it was probably closer to pride or stubbornness which drove her ambitions. She just wanted to be like her father. She wanted to be free. She wanted to be freer than free, she wanted to find those undiscovered lands and she wanted to be the first to touch those unreachable stars. She was overly-ambitious if anything. Cassandra took in a deep breath and was glad Selina wasn't staring straight into her face otherwise she would've seen the tear rolling down her cheek. She hated it when people saw her cry because they felt it was their cue to give them a hug. She hated that. It was the proud streak in her which hated it when people were giving her sympathy. She associated with with weakness and she hated people seeing her when she was most vulnerable. She had to admit she didn't mind being the one to comfort others but she did find it difficult to reconcile herself with being in an environment where there were plenty of girls crying about being away from home. She hated it when people saw her cry. She was alright with other people crying just not other people seeing her cry.

"Okay." She consented.

Selina chuckled. "See? It's not so difficult to agree with me now is it?"

Cassandra shrugged her shoulders. "Well I suppose so. Although there is one thing I can't really agree with you on."

Selina frowned. "What?"

"Your taste in clothes."

She knew this was going to be something which was going to follow a terrible punishment and readied herself for anything Selina wanted to throw her way. She glanced over her shoulder and was face to face with Selina whose eyes were widened in shock and anger. She thought for a moment she might have gone too far and actually offended her. Then she remembered what a good actress Selina could be. She knew, deep down she was putting on a charade to fool her for just a moment so then she could attack her on unawares. That was always her trick, sometimes it was a trick that she would use to ensnare a man even though she was yet to lie with one. Funnily enough, contrary to what many people thought Selina was still a virgin. She grabbed a cushion and began to hit Cassandra with it who just laughed harder. She grabbed a cushion herself and started to hit her back. What was once a solemn, serious conversation, a meeting of hearts became a furious moment of hysteria and laughter with feathers flying through the air, brushing against their skin which was as soft as moonlight sparkling against the ocean surface. The room was now filled with laughter and feathers flying in her air. When the cushions were destroyed they rushed to the bed to use the others ones in the room. In the midst of all the fun they heard a voice at the door.

"What are you two doing?"

They both turned around to slowly to see who it was at the door. At first they feared it was the Captain or Cassandra's brother standing there but in fact it was Diana. For a moment Cassandra was so glad that they didn't have an older escort here otherwise it was likely they would have been whipped or had their ears being boxed at the moment for behaving in such an immature manner. Diana however was giving them a look as if she was going to do just that. She stared at the feathers covering the floor and her two friends in their nightdresses and holding pillows in their hands. They both exchanged a glance and ran towards Diana. She screamed and ran back into the parlour and grabbed a cushion to defend herself. All three girls attacked on all side and were having so much fun they didn't realise two men who were standing in the doorway.

"Sister?" One said hesitantly.

Cassandra stopped even when the other two continued to hit her with their cushions. "George. Captain Hawkins!"

She blushed when she was aware of that her shoulders and arms were exposed. Also the neckline and material didn't leave much to the imagination. Jim also looked down however couldn't deny that he found her attractive in a nightgown.

"We heard voices..." George's voice drifted when his eyes drifted onto Diana whose face was beetroot now.

"Well there's nothing wrong here. We were just..."

"Having a pillow fight?" Jim suggested with a slight smile on his lips. "We are familiar with them, Miss Richardson. We were just thinking because of the situation that there may have been another reason why there was such a commotion coming from the room."

"Well, we're _not _sorry that we bothered you, Captain." Selina said in a seductive voice. Cassandra glanced over her shoulder and gave her a look. "In fact, why don't you stay since we brought you down here and we're not particularly tired, despite the hour."

"Oh I don't-"

"Of course. Everyone is on duty and we really should be getting some sleep but like you...can't seem to get any."

Captain Hawkins was already making himself comfortable on the sofa which made Cassandra want to just sink to the follow and dissolve.

"Wonderful!" Selina shrilled throwing Cassandra's nightgown on her head. She struggled to get it off her head until someone helped her. She finally escaped from the coat and found it was Captain Hawkins.

"Are you alright there?" He asked in an amused voice.

She pouted. "Yes. Thank you."

"You're welcome." He gazed at her as if he was contemplating something. She narrowed her eyes at him and decided to take a chance.

"What?"

"Nothing I was just trying to remember the last time I saw you smile."

Cassandra stared back at him and tilted her head until the moment was ruined by a certain robot and a pink morph floating in the air.

"SLUMBER PARTY!" Ben cried.

"Ben!" Jim roared.

"Well, why else are you down here?" He asked innocently. He turned to Cassandra peered at her.

"Do I know you?"

"Yes, Ben. You do." She replied with a smile on her face. He thought on it for a moment and then his eyes widened.

"Cassandra!" He grabbed her hands and swung her arms about. "Look at you! You're so preeeettty! Isn't she Morph?"

Morph responded by wolf-whistling and turning into a miniature her and swinging her hips from side to side. He turned back into him again and rubbed himself against her cheek.

"Pretty, pretty, pretty." He chirped.

"Okay. Okay. That's enough excitement for you two." Jim grumbled but was still smiling.

"But I haven't met Cassandra's equally preettty friends." Ben said wriggling his eyebrows. Selina giggled at this and held out her hand.

"Yeah, yeah." Jim replied grabbing him by the neck. "Sorry about that, ladies."

Cassandra glanced up at him while she was still giggling due to Morph rubbing himself against her face. Jim's face was ceased into an angry expression mixed with a little frustration. She tilted her head knowing that he wasn't aware of being watched. There was something that was hiding something else beneath his expression. There was something natural about his frustrations. Something which told her that it wasn't all about protocol. There was another reason why their behaviour was annoying him. He struggled to hold Ben under his arm and grab Morph at the same time who kept darting across the air. She laughed a little at the whole scene which almost made him look like a father who was trying to control six children at once. Her shoulders began to shake and Cassandra lifted her hand to her mouth and giggled. She had to press her fist against her teeth to stop him from hearing her laugh. She didn't want to ruin her relationship considering that it was damaged enough as it was. She never thought she would be able to laugh in the same room as James Hawkins. She wasn't sure she would be able to laugh at all. He frowned at her when he heard her and wasn't sure whether he should be annoyed at her or not. Really, he was glad she was smiling again, it was just a shame she was hiding it behind her hand.

He took her hand and she thought he was trying to see her smile one last time. Instead he brought her hand to his lips.

"Goodnight, Miss Richardson."

She stared at him, utterly breathless and nodded. "Goodnight, Captain Hawkins."

"Perhaps we might have another again?"

The words made Cassandra's heart flutter. She remembered the first time he said that all those years ago when she was just a girl. Back then she felt that she was mentally older than many girls her own age who still wanted to play with dolls and dream up their perfect wedding when she had more grounded ambitions. However she was still a child. There were still some things she wasn't aware of in the world. It was since that voyage when she had learnt a thing or two about how brutal life could be to the soul if you let it. She knew it until now when she really felt like a woman, especially when it concerned her feelings towards Captain Hawkins. When she thought about him on her last voyage she smiled to herself in a girlish fashion and sometimes even giggled to herself. Now she didn't need to do that. She just felt warm inside. When he uttered those two words she knew it him telling her that he had not forgotten and he would never forget. They almost felt like their own secret code language when he spoke them. Only she and Captain Hawkins understood the meaning of those words. Nothing more needed to be said it was almost as if he was saying...George kissed the hands of Selina and Diana, whose hand he held for a little longer and gave Cassandra a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight sister." He said charmingly.

She narrowed her eyes at him before he walked away. She gazed after Captain Hawkins who carried a protesting Ben and glanced over his shoulder with a smile on his face.

~ (***) ~

Marianne threw off her clothes as soon as she got home. She slammed the door behind her and checked the halls to see if she had been followed. She knew that when she heard the Duke of Orion and Cassandra Richardson in the same sentence she knew instantly that she was in danger. She was the only one left that knew what had happened there and she had to stop it because when it came to the Duke it would always be more than just a coincidence. In fact there were no coincidences when it came to him. She left Kathy's as soon as she could and when she knew she wasn't going to do something foolish. She had to catch up with that ship, or find a way of getting there before Cassandra did. She knew from years ago that if she returned to Orion she would discover the truth. She knew that if she encountered the Duke she knew it would be something which would only lead to her discovering the truth. She knew if Xavier was still alive he would do everything in his power to make sure that she didn't get onto that ship. From what she could get out of Kathy they left earlier that day. She looked out the window and saw that it was dark. It was the perfect time to try and stow away onto a ship. She threw on her more practical clothes, wrote a quick note explaining what was going on and packed up as much as she could when she heard a rustling behind her. She grabbed her sword and held onto it tightly.

"Who's there?" She demanded. There was no answer. "Show yourself I know how to use this and trust me I'm not-"

"Alright, alright."

An old man emerged out the darkness and stepped forward. He was a feeble, grey haired old man but he still had a few more years left in him, she could see that.

"Who are you?"

"I am Albert Wick. I am the family lawyer of the Richardsons."

Marianne blinked and removed from her sword. "Alright. So why are you here?"

"I have just been informed that Xavier Richardson's older daughter, Cassandra has just embarked on a voyage to Orion. She doesn't know this but I remember her father instructing me that if anything do with her...even visiting Orion would be out of the question."

She chuckled. "That's a bit of an understatement."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well I suppose that is why he also told me to seek you out if all else failed. I had no idea that she was going there since she didn't mention it." He reasoned.

She nodded. "Well you're in luck sir."

He frowned. "Why?"

"Because it looks like we both have the same goal." She paused for a moment. "Mr Wick? Is there anything else you know about Cassandra that her father told you about? Something else she also wasn't to know?"

He sighed and looked downwards. He glanced upwards with a look in his eyes which said more than a thousand words could ever convey.


	27. Tension Rising

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

**A/N: **Hey! Sorry for the long update. Same excuse. A bad one, I know but the honest excuse nonetheless. If anyone is at all bothered about my personal life my university crisis was solved and I am in fact back on track to going to university and I am so happy! WOOO! **runs around her room manically**. Anyway here's a new chapter and be free to join my celebration party for actually getting into uni in spirit. Also I decided as a peace offering for my lack of updates and depriving you of some Jim-Cassandra and George-Diana action I'm going to give an exxxxxxxxtraaaaaaaaa long chapter. Just for my faithful and wonderful fans.

Tensions Rising

For **Kelsthereader**

Cassandra, Diana and Selina had been on the ship for a few days now and by each passing day the tension between the women and the Captain and the first mate began to rise with Selina being in the centre of it all. What was meant by that was that she was actually trying to push her two friends towards the two available candidates to carry out their romantic needs. She knew Cassandra and James Hawkins had feelings for one another since Cassandra's strange, erratic behaviour towards him was more or less self-evident of the fact that she had feelings for him. Otherwise she wouldn't have ever given him the time of day if she had no feelings towards him.

James Hawkins, from conversations she had with Cassandra seemed to be more concerned for than the average man would be. He was much too concerned for Cassandra's welfare to not have at least some feelings for her. That was going to be the hard job when it came to her match-making abilities. She had paired off the majority of the girls at the Academy to the men they admired from afar transforming them from awkward ducklings to beautiful swans. But she knew the velocity of Cassandra was going to be a challenge and a true test of her abilities. The other girls at least had their only hopes being married off to someone rich and handsome. This came as the fifth thing to tick off on Cassandra's to -do list.

The other couple she had to wed off she had to admit was also going to be equally difficult but only due to the complications of the situation and not the people involved. Diana and George Richardson were evidently in love with one another. That was something which didn't require a published essay balancing out the evidence for and against this view. It wasn't something which needed to be debated on for hours and days on end. It was something which was clearly true. That was something which was as plain as day. The only problem was that Diana was in the middle of an international betrothal and George was just about to finish his degree at the Interstellar Academy with a pretty-nasty-sounding brother as the head of the family. So financial issues were going to be a small problem and the tiny details were also going to be an obstacle in order for Selina to succeed in her ambitions. As trivial and insignificant as they may be.

Also Diana was much too moral to be pushed into doing something as devious as an elopement. In her mind she made a promise even though it was made against her will and on her behalf but still, a promise which she was involved in. However a couple of traits Cassandra and George seemed share was determination and a strong will. So really if push came to shove she was sure he could think up some romantic and inspirational speech to convince her to run away with him. So really all she needed to do was to work her magic on George and give Diana a little shove.

While walking around the ship, the three young women watched the crew do their chores and admired the scenery which they flew past. Cassandra was more concerned with the activity on the ship rather than the scenery outside the ship unlike Diana who was always making comments about how beautiful it was. Selina knew she could use this to her advantage.

"Captain Hawkins!" She cried.

Cassandra glared at her and the young captain turned in their direction and strode over to them. "Yes, Miss Selina?"

"As you know Cassandra is very interested in becoming a Space Captain so she wondering if you could answer a few of her questions."

Jim who would practically jump at the chance stepped forward and smiled. "I would be happy to." He offered her his arm which she took gingerly and cast a dark look over her shoulder at Selina who waved at her.

"So what did you want to ask me about?"

She gave him a look and replied, "As much as I honestly do have tons of questions for you. Do you really think Selina would let me go so I could chat to you about the duties of a Space Captain?"

Jim laughed. "You're right. That does sound a little bit too sensible and responsible for her." He turned back to her his eyes dancing with mischief. "So why did she want you and me to be alone together?"

She shrugged her shoulders even though she knew all too well. Jim knew this as well and narrowed his eyes. "Now, now. I think you know why she wanted us to be alone together."

"Romantic reasons." She admitted.

Jim tried not to fall over and asked. "Romantic reasons...concerned with her or you?"

Cassandra blushed. "Um...er... I was just making an assumption."

"No you admitting the truth. Now answer my question. I know this is something which doesn't come naturally to you but you could try-"

"Hey you two." Ben greeted cheerily followed by Morph swooping over to Cassandra and rubbed himself against her cheek.

"I thought you two were going to stay in the cabin today." Jim asked through gritted teeth. Ben ignored this and answered him calmly.

"We got cabin fever so we thought it would be in the best interest that we got some air and I see you have some...lady company." He replied wriggling his eyebrows. "Nice to see you again, Miss Cassandra. Looking lovely as usual and I am very glad now that you have decided to grow into the lovely young lady you were always destined to be."

Cassandra laughed. "Don't worry, Ben. I'm still aiming to become the best female Space Captain the universe has ever seen."

"You're still- You're going to- You're not gonna- Awwww." Ben collapsed on the ground leaving Cassandra feeling rather confused. Jim quickly wrapped an arm around her and whispered.

"Quickly before he snaps out of it."

They walked swiftly away from where Ben was laying and moved to the upper deck to take in the scenery.

"So you never answered my question."

"Well..."

"Kissy, kissy." Morph tweeted. "Kissy, kissy."

"No Morph. There will be no kissy, kissy." Jim said grinning.

Morph suddenly looked sad which made Cassandra feel sorry for him and took him in her hands and placed a kiss on Morph which made him almost burst with happiness.

Jim and Cassandra laughed at his charade. "Hey why did he get a kiss before me?"

Cassandra turned to Jim and shrugged her shoulders. "Well he did request for one."

Jim raised an eyebrow and stepped forward. "So you're saying if I ask nicely I might get one too?"

Cassandra felt like her face was burning and brought her hand to her lips. Jim stepped forward a little close until his lips were literally hovering over hers and was simply waiting for the green light.

"So?"

The whisper of his breath on her lips sent shivers down her spine before she could even reply they were interrupted by her brother.

"Captain!"

Jim looked disappointed and nodded to George. "Alright, Richardson, I'm coming. Perhaps we'll have another again, Miss Cassandra?"

She gave him a small, warm smile and nodded.

~ (***) ~

After Cassandra had been sent off with Captain Hawkins Selina knew now all she had to look out for the first mate. She tried to feel optimistic about all this but she knew she hadn't even fought half the battle. She looped her arm in Diana's and continued to walk by the ship side. Diana continued to make comments about the scenery which Selina half listened to but was more concerned with the whereabouts of George Richardson. She eventually found him talking to the cabin boy and pointing him in some direction. He caught sight of them and walked towards them with an eager, bright smile on his face.

"Miss Diana. Miss Selina. How are you this afternoon?" He took Diana's hand forgetting that Selina was there and kissed her hand however didn't do the same for Selina. She wasn't at all offended. Just glad that things were going in the right direction for her.

"We're very well, aren't we dearest?" She said giving her an imploring smile. Diana smiled sweetly and nodded.

She looked up nervously. "How are you, Mr Richardson?"

He hadn't taken his eyes for her and with his eyes he was saying, _I love you. I love you. I love you.I love you._ "I'm very well. Thank you for being kind enough to inquire after me, Lady Firestone."

She looked down shyly and giggled. "You don't have to thank me every time I ask after your health, Mr Richardson."

"I have every reason for being grateful for you doing so, Lady Firestone."

Selina looked between George and Diana smiling without them noticing. There was no question of what she found amusing or why she looked so happy. She was witnessing something which she didn't get to see very often and that was something called pure love. A mutual love shared between the two people which was equal and without prejudice. She was happy because she knew the two loved one another and once they would find out their love would carry them where there were supposed to be. That was true love. True love could take you places where you never dreamed of. Places where you never thought possible.

She looked over in the direction of Cassandra and the Captain and saw them smiling at each other as if they were sharing a secret joke. Whenever they looked at each other from across the room they always seemed to be sharing a secret with their eyes. There was an intimacy between the two. She tilted her head and thought about how lucky those two were. They were like legendary lovers where everyone knew their tale. Their tale was then idolised. Told from generation to generation. They knew one another more than any other couple would and there were no obstacles. They were twins souls who were united by destiny. She heard and understood the anguish of Cassandra from nights ago but she had but she had no idea as to how strong she was. She didn't realise how many possibilities, opportunities she had. She had no idea how lucky she was. She had nothing to lose. Diana had everything to lose. As did Selina.

She always carried on behaving as she did pretending she wasn't afraid of convention. She acted like she was above such things. However the truth was she was always afraid of becoming like her mother. Cassandra was the true non-conformist. She didn't care what others thought of her and what they said behind her back. When Selina told her that she was so strong due to the adversity she had faced she wasn't lying. She also wouldn't be lying if she admitted that she admired her for it. People would've thought that it would be vice versa but then again in socialite society things were never what they seemed.

She was afraid of being looked down upon and falling under the same disgrace and ridicule she suffered from. However she held her head high as she was aware of all this. What she couldn't handle was the loneliness. Selina had heard her mother at night crying over these things. Her mother simply couldn't understand why she was having to pull herself through relationship after relationship without finding one to work. She couldn't understand what was missing. However in the few years which Selina had she knew the answer to that and it was the fact that it was the right man that was missing. A man which wasn't married. A man which wasn't bored with his wife. A man which didn't want her for her good looks and allure rather than her intelligence and out of pure love. Even at such a young age, Selina knew more than her mother.

"I also think that your welfare is more important than mine." George also added.

Diana blinked with surprise. "Sir...My welfare is no more important than anyone else on this vessel. Let alone the rest of the galaxy."

George Richardson almost looked like he was about to fall to his knees and took her by the arms. "Lady Firestone you must never think that. Your life...It is the most precious thing in the universe."

Diana was about to say something in reply but was too shocked by his powerful words. "I hope that you think yourself as having more worth than you do now...one day." He added softly.

She glanced up at him and nodded. "Yes." She murmured.

He bowed to her and strode away in the Captain's direction. Selina turned to Diana and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Diana? Are you alright?"

Diana put her hand to her heart and nodded. She blinked away the tears forming in her eyes. "I...I've just never had that being said to me."

"Oh Diana...Surely knew that anyway." She implored.

She shook her head. "No. I never knew of such things. I never knew that I could..." Her voice trailed into the wind and blew away in the sky.

"What?" Selina prodded after a while.

"I never thought...Well, Selina have you ever had someone you've thought about more than anyone else? More than the people you should be thinking about. Have you ever thought about this particular person so much that it could almost be called an obsession? Have you ever considered sacrificing everything for this one person?"

These words Selina, not because they were so filled with passion but when Diana spoke these words she wasn't herself at all. She was someone else.

"Diana...What made you feel this way?"

Diana considered answering this for a second then shook her head. "Nothing. I was just wondering that's all. I am about to be married and I do not know anything about the affairs of love or affection. I thought if...I just thought I should be informed on the subject."

She gave her a look and thought _I think we both know who made you think that way and we both know that person is making you having these feelings. You just want clarification on whether it is wise to think such things. The answer: No. However is it necessary for you to be feeling this way: Yes. _

"Diana?"

They both saw Cassandra approach them with the same morph they encountered on the night George and the Captain came into their cabin follow her.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I'm fine. We were just talking with your brother."

Cassandra, very uncharacteristically, pouted at Selina and gave her a look.

_Now look what you've done. _

"I hope he was very polite. It's not one of his strong qualities."

Diana tilted her head and gave her friend a sad smile. She knew she was trying to cover something up with her harsh words. Something she didn't want anyone to know. Sometimes Cassandra Richardson overdid it when it came to insulting others out of good intentions. She would never be intentionally cruel to someone because of the cruelty which she had been inflicted onto her she had developed a strong sense of compassion towards others. Although not everyone benefited this particular trait. Cassandra wanted to make it perfectly clear almost that she had no faith in men whatsoever. She even went to the extents of insulting the two men whose sole aim was the protect and take care of her.

However her recent behaviour towards the Captain said otherwise. She could see that Cassandra's heart was beginning to thaw. She was beginning to feel the growing, uncertain feelings Diana was beginning to feel. She looked out the window at night looking to the heavens to find the answers she was unable to find from those around her like countless others who asked different questions were answers did not lie in the mortal realm turned to the skies to find the answers which only the immortals knew. She had been faced with so much adversity and had to struggle through this world in order to get where she was now. She had no easy way or a path cleared for her. However she had been so used to this she had to attack those who were thought to be able to provide for women in her situation. She had to the be the feminist with the roaring flag and crying against those who weren't responsible for the mistakes of their predecessors.

She forgot what it was like to allow others to help her without looking helpless. She felt now that she had to learn things herself forgetting about the endless hours of her father's lessons in their library. She acted liked no one could understand her plight despite the fact that the Captain from what Diana had heard hadn't come from the most wealthy of backgrounds. Cassandra of all people didn't need to worry about that. She was more than capable of looking after herself but there were some things which one alone could not deal with independently. One of those things being loneliness. This was something Diana knew Cassandra suffered from very quietly but nonetheless she suffered from it.

"Your brother was very kind, Cassandra and I think you should know that better than either of us." Diana walked down the deck and headed back to her room.

Cassandra looked at Selina suspiciously after she was out of sight. "What are you up to Selina?" She asked cautiously.

"How did things go with the Captain?" Selina inquired politely.

Cassandra narrowed her eyes knowing this was her trying to avoid answering the question. "I asked you a question Selina Felnela. What are you up to?"

"What I'm good at, dearest. Now how did things go with the Captain?"

Cassandra went up close to Selina's face and hissed. "It may be very well for you to play with fire but if you drag Diana into the game she will be burnt and if things don't turn out well you will have no one else to blame but yourself."

"You know very well of the death sentence, our friend has been given." Selina retorted. "I know of the risks but would you rather give her a life of happiness and with someone she knows she can be happy with than leave it to chance? I rather think you are the one who is gambling with fire, Cassandra. Not I."

Selina walked away in the direction Diana went in leaving Cassandra alone. Everything was suddenly cold all of a sudden and the air was filled with a sense of foreboding. What it was that she was being warned of she didn't know. That was what scared her the most.

~ (***) ~

While on his duties instead of his mind being filled with tracking the course which the ship was taking and ship management, Jim Hawkins mind was filled by the unpredictable Cassandra Richardson. He couldn't stop thinking about her laugh. He couldn't stop thinking about her pale, clear skin and wondered whether it was as smooth as silk or as cold as marble. He couldn't stop finding himself lost in her bright, emerald eyes which were now engrained into his mind. He couldn't stop thinking about her smirk and how it curled perfectly from the corner of her beautiful lips.

Jim wasn't the only one distracted by a particular woman either. It was obvious George was distracted by the welfare of another woman on board, he just hoped he would never act on his impulses. If Jim acted on his the consequences of doing so wouldn't be so disastrous. However Jim couldn't afford be distracted by anything. Now was not the right time for either of them. This was Jim's first voyage as a Captain and he couldn't afford disaster under his command. He was the captain after all. He had to keep himself focused. If they ended up in a situation where everyone was panicking he had to be the one who was under control when it came to his emotions and he could only do that when he was focused. Yet no matter how he tried Cassandra Richardson couldn't be rid from his thoughts.

"Jim?"

Jim turned round to expect it to be George but surprisingly it was Ben. "Hey Ben. You snapped out of it, huh?"

Ben rubbed his head and moaned. "Yeah. Have you snapped out of it yet?"

"What are you talking about?"

Ben gave him a look and folded his arms. "I think you know what I'm talking about." Jim shrugged his shoulders which made Ben roll his eyes. "I'm talking about the little miss who is under your supervision and you seem to have taken a liking for. The one who you've obviously had a thing for since she was fifteen."

It finally clicked with Jim as to what Ben was talking about and felt himself go red. "I really don't-"

"Jim I may be a little crazy," He began and banged his fist on his head to emphasis the point making a huge clanging sound. "But I'm not that stupid. You obviously need to tell this girl that you have feelings for her and I think there may even be the slight possibility that she may have feelings for you."

Jim looked away and leaned against the side of the ship. "Yeah well there's a problem Ben."

"Oh really and what is that?"

"That she is so damn independent and strong willed she won't allow anyone to help her or...perhaps even love her."

Ben considered this and leaned against the side of the ship. "It seems to me that the problem is really if you are willing to go to the lengths to show her how you feel. If you really cared about this girl enough you would fight for her. Yeah?"

Jim considered this and it occurred to him that this actually made sense. "I guess you're right."

"So? Do you love her enough to fight for her?"

Jim looked up and saw that the sky was beginning to grow dark. The sky was turning into a sapphire blue from a deep violet. The stars were coming out to play. As he looked up he thought when the stars were beginning to sparkle visibly they reminded him of the look in her eyes as she looked to the horizon. They were filled with such hope and excitement. He thought that perhaps that was what his eyes looked like when he looked at her.


	28. Jovial Nights

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

**A/N: **Hi guys! **THIS IS IMPORTANT SO PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE ENJOYING SOME JIM-CASSANDRA ACTION!** I just wanted to mention that I have set up a poll which regards this story and the characters within it. Basically its asking if there was a film made of this story and of course it would be a cartoon like 'Treasure Planet' who would be the best actress to voice the character of Cassandra. I'm going to be doing other polls for Selina, Diana and Sophia (if you haven't forgotten about her and she might have a larger role in the sequel to this story so you will be seeing more of her in the future). So I hope you'll visit me on my profile page and cast your vote it would be much appreciated and I hope you enjoy this new chapter!

Jovial Nights

For **Kurama'slilAngel**

Cassandra sat on the window seat thinking about the moment where she could've almost kissed Captain Hawkins. She recalled the gentle but urgent breath she could see on her lips. The proximity between them allowed her to see how blue his eyes were. How handsome his features were. Even though she was of reasonable height James Hawkins seemed rather tall in that moment. She felt like a small child that needed to be hugged because she realised just how lonely she was. She was going to have a lonely life ahead of her and she knew it. She knew it before and she actually looked forward to the independence she would have. However when she realised what it was she wasn't going to have or be able to have in a very long time she suddenly began to feel an overwhelming sense of regret. She was never one to regret. She wanted to take the only chance she would have at intimacy only if it lasted a few seconds. She thought about how badly she actually wanted that to happen as well as the fact that it conflicted with her principles.

She was going to be returning home under the pretence that she was going to train to become a Space Captain herself. If she followed this path she could be effectively throwing that dream away. She had wanted this since she was a little girl, she more or less really began to fall in love with Captain Hawkins when she was sixteen years old. Its pretty obvious that the more than ten year old dream was going to win over an attraction to someone which had only developed over the course of two years. In her mind, she would be using the old tricks of the trade lesser women used in order to climb up the ladder and achieve their goals if she was going to pursue a relationship with Captain Hawkins.

She knew that wasn't the reason why she wanted to kiss him but she could see how other people could see it that way. There was always a different way of looking at a situation such as this. Even though society on a whole had been through a feminist revolution there were still some women upholding the 'great' traditions of being a social-climbing, nosey, gossiping, dried up hags. Even though she cared nothing for what people thought of her she knew she was in the position now where she had to think about her actions and what those who would determine her future would think of her actions. She at least cared about their opinions and she actually had to in some instances as well. Therefore she had to be careful, even if that involved abstaining herself from falling in love with Captain James Hawkins any further.

Although she did begin to wonder why she was initially attracted to him in the first place. She had to look for the answers now if she was going to solve this problem. There was a part of her however which didn't want to. Perhaps if she saw the causes she might be able to relieve them in some way. She grimaced as it occurred to her she was treating love like it was a disease. She should be struck down for her cruelty. She was more or less planning to demise of her friendship with Captain Hawkins or whatever it was that they had between them. When she first saw him as a little girl he reminded her of her father. She didn't know that the root of her attraction to him was due to an Electra complex but she was compiling a list of reasons.

He had the same look in his eyes she had when she went on her first voyage. His eyes, as she recalled, were like the deep blue sky. She never romanticised about anyone except for James Hawkins which could only mean that there was something about him which would make her behave in such a different way as she would behave to others. Ever since she met him as that little nine-year-old-girl something inside her began to change. She could see he was like the wind without a care in the world. She was more like a playful breeze which hadn't passed her test yet and still had to wait until she could leave the ground. Once it was because he was a rebel without a cause and now it was because he found his purpose which was to be a nowhere man. He was excited by the prospect of entering into the sky and into the unknown. He wasn't afraid to jump into a worm hole because he wanted to know what was at the other end. Neither was she.

She sat there and a smile crept onto her face. So that was the reason. It was the familiarity one felt when they found the person they knew could only understand them on a deeper level than most people. He was the person who she identified from across the way who could be the one person to hold her hand through everything and all those things she wanted to do because things are always better shared than to be experienced alone aren't they? Even after years of not seeing him again she was still able to recognise him and that just showed how much he meant to her. It was because even at the young age that she was, she could see that they were twin souls both turning their eyes up to the skies rather than looking forward.

His eyes always seemed to pull her in. It was like she was being cast over by something or had come down was something and was completely weak to feeling the things that she felt. When you were will you were more or less a rag doll which could be thrown about from side to side and had no control over yourself. That was what she felt like. They always sucked her in whenever she looked into them. That was why she got so vulnerable whenever they spoke to one another. It was why she got so emotional whenever they spoke. It didn't matter where they were or what it was she was talking about she had no fear of dodging the subject or speaking her mind.

All except for that one thing. That one thing which would change everything. Her emotions went into hyper mode whenever they spoke because he always made her feel passionate about something. He always made her feel angrier, more loyal, sadder, happier and made her realise that she could feel things more than she thought and some things she never though existed. She felt all the things she felt normally but just in more depth. She couldn't think of a simpler way of putting it because this reaction, this feeling she had towards him really couldn't be explained. People tried to think of causes for it, she was trying to right now, when at the end of the nothing could explain why she was feeling this. She could analyse it and think of reasons why she was attracted to him. She just couldn't explain why she was in love with him.

He could also be reasonably polite as well. He wasn't afraid to be honest with her or to tease her either. Something else which was quite refreshing coming from a man. From her first voyage he kept on insisting on wanting to pick her up. At the time she found it very flattering. Now she would just find it insulting however it showed that he had a considerate personality nonetheless. Not many men had that trait any more. It was obvious he was doing it out of goodwill and not to use it as a means to an end. Well...there may be a reason for him being particularly attentive to her but what she meant was that other men would have more devious thoughts running through their heads while behaving that way. She could really imagine James Hawkins wanting to do anything dishonourable to her considering his past actions towards her. He always wanted to help her. To believe in her. Something which not many people other than her friends and very few family members she had left gave her.

After thinking this over she realised that when she found the reasons why she liked James Hawkins there was nothing really to complain about. She ran her hand through her hair and frowned. She couldn't believe it. The thought of being in love not being such a bad thing actually crossed her mind into the section of reasonable thoughts. After all the lectures she had received from Selina and Diana it was finally beginning to sink in. She never thought it would be a conclusion she could reach reasonably. She always thought it was something which she thought was so delusional and a waste of time but now there was nothing really stopping her from accepting it being anything short of being a simple truth. Also another thing was that the man she was in love with was a lot better than most men in this universe.

Diana was about to (possibly) marry a man she didn't love or know. Selina was tabbed for having scandalous affairs with rich men for the rest of her life and Sophia was now in a marriage which she jumped into with the first person who said 'boo'. Captain Hawkins had, in a way, ticked all the boxes. There was nothing wrong with him. There was nothing wrong with the feelings she had for him. The only problem was her. She just couldn't allow herself to be happy because she had convinced herself that over the years that it wasn't possible to be happy in this world only lucky and successful and that you could only hope with plenty of hard-work under your belt that you could at least be remembered for something being worth remembered for. That was how sad her life truly was. She was a lone star but she didn't want to be alone. Deep down. She should really sort out her own feelings before she would allow him to love her.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see it was Selina. "Come on. We're going out."

Cassandra blinked at her. "Going out where?"

"The crew are having some celebration. Playing music and things. We should go."

Cassandra sighed. Selina knew full well that she didn't like dancing. She was just trying to find an opportunity to torture her or worse. Selina rolled her eyes and took her by the wrist.

"You're going whether you like it or not." She said decisively.

She dragged her up the stairs and down the corridor all the way to the deck where she was thrown into an explosion of music. Cassandra stepped back for a moment and blinked because it was so loud and chaotic. The lights had been lit and the crew members were playing any musical instruments they had brought with them and were playing more merrily than she had seen any orchestra at a ball or dance she had to attend. She could now see it as the cheery, wonderful celebration that it was. It was beautiful. Some were already dancing with some female crew members in some form of folk dancing she wasn't familiar with.

She had been taught the conventional ballroom waltz which she absolutely hated with a passion. In those agonising hours she had to force herself through that ridiculous subject and was always listing the things in her head which she thought which would be better to do. She always had to be the one to play the male role since she was one of the taller girls in the class. She hated the stiffness of it as well. People said dancing could be an expression on ones emotions but they were wrong. It was too confining, too polite for lack of a better word for someone to really be able to express their emotions in it. In this dance however people were free. They were free to throw their hair in the wind. To throw their arms about. To spin. To throw their head back. If she was ever to learn a dance willingly it would be this one because this was the only one where she would be able to express her passionate, unpredictable and uncontrollable emotions. As she had recently found.

Selina smiled and leaned over Cassandra's shoulder. "What do you think?"

Cassandra gave her a smile which told her that she very much approved and slowly nodded her head. "Very good."

Selina laughed and patted her shoulder. "I thought you would like it."

She then skipped into the crowd and took the hand of a handsome sailor who was already offering his hand for her dance which she took instantly and drew him to the section of the deck where people were dancing. He looked at little surprised by her brazen behaviour and expected her to be either flirtatiously coy or shy. Cassandra laughed at the scene and clapped to the music. He obviously got a little bit of a shock as would many other men who would follow after him. While she was standing by the scene some people tried to make eye contact with her so they could offer her to dance. She kept her eyes on those who were dancing to avoid such a thing. She wanted to dance but she only wanted to dance with a man she at least knew and that was only her brother and the Captain and none of them were anywhere to be seen despite the noise everyone was making. Then she spotted her brother who was practically throwing Diana around the deck but was laughing and throwing her head back. She smiled at the scene and her heart warmed at the image of her friend being so happy. She hadn't seen her this happy in years.

"Miss Richardson." Someone whispered in her ear. She jumped and found the Captain grinning at her. He looked her up and down and offered her his hand. "Looks like we've found another again. Do you want to dance?"

She giggled nervously and shook her head. "No. Dancing isn't exactly my forte."

However Jim was already pushing her towards the crowd. "It's nothing like the dancing you've learned its one anyone can dance to. You just have to go with it."

She nodded and gripped onto his shoulder tightly and took his hand. "Is this right?"

He smiled nodded. He wrapped his arm around her waist bringing her so close that their bodies were pressed against each other and was sure to feel her heartbeat against his chest. Jim couldn't believe what he was doing. He was overstepping the boundary of what a Captain was allowed to do and he knew if anyone heard about this he would certainly get in trouble. Then he heard Ben's voice screaming in his head and knew it wouldn't stop unless he listened to it and did as he was told. He instantly began spinning her round and stepped back and forth. Her hair was escaping her already loose bun and at some point released her and spun her round her she lost the pins and other things holding it in place with her dark hair falling down on her shoulders like the night sky fell down against the twilight sky when its time had come to dominate over the world in its designated hours.

"You should wear your hair down." He said quietly. He hesitantly ran his fingers through her hair which made her shiver. "I should've told you that from the night before. It looks beautiful down."

"Alright."

He smirked and brought her close again leaning his face closer to hers. Everything, despite it was rushing past her, seemed to slow down for a moment. All the world seemed to go grey except for them and nothing else existed except those two. Nothing else mattered and they felt like they were in their own little bubble. They couldn't hear the music or anything except for their heartbeats. They couldn't feel the cold night breeze or anything except for the electricity soaring through their bodies. Jim leaned forward and was about to bring her lips to hers. She raised her lips to tell him she invite it but within a few seconds of them meeting in the middle something inside the bubble smashed the moment into a thousand pieces.


	29. Ignoble Deeds

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

**A/N: PLEASE VOTE ON THE POLL ON MY PROFILE PAGE OTHERWISE YOU WILL NOT GET AN UPDATE UNTIL THERE IS A MAJORITY. THANK YOU. ALSO ITS A MULTIPLY CHOICE ONE SO YOU CAN SELECT UP TO 4 CHOICES IF THAT HELPS.**

Ignoble Deeds

For **AyBenelli**

When the first blast hit the ship Cassandra thought she went back in time back to the day of her fathers death. She could hear her heartbeat she she slipped away from Jim's grasp and fell to the ground with her back crashing against the deck. She couldn't feel the pain which would usually be soaring up and down her spine. Even the explosive sounds swirling around seemed to be just sucked into a void. Her second thought that perhaps something was telling her that she was going to die the same way as her father. She could imagine death flying right down, staring her in the face, telling her that she was foolish for not heeding his first warning. As if it was those who would become Captains in the Richardson family were doomed to die in space.

However when she looked up from the ground after falling over and saw fighter planes shooting across the sky over them. She tried to see if there was a symbol on their planes so that she could identify them but she could see that her vision was slightly blurred also. Her felt dizzy and also found herself swaying from side to side gently. She could hear Jim ordering the crew to man the cannons and fight back. He was so busy about defending the ship that he had completely forgotten about her. She was glad of this because she didn't ever want to be a liability to the safety of the rest of the crew. However there was the faint sound of a little girl in her mind screaming at him for not thinking about her and her safety. She reached out to him and felt herself try to call out to him however it only came out as a faint, weak croak from the back of her throat. She shook this away and got up. She could take care of herself.

She got to her feet and shakily made her way across the deck. Her hair was more disarrayed than it was before. Her dress had been ripped by something and was now hanging off her shoulder. She knew that if she could see herself in the mirror or if she was walking down the street she would be easily mistaken for being a prostitute. She smirked momentarily at the thought. She found the concept funny as well as the fact that the only thing she seemed to care about or find herself thinking about was her appearance. Of all moments it was this one. She wanted to mentally slap herself around the face and get serious. The ship was being attacked. She wanted to help but due to her lack of expertise she knew she would only get in the way. She was going to to do what she usually thought a coward would do and run to safety. However when she tried to turn around and run under deck she found she couldn't move.

She looked around and felt herself be pushed now and then when she was in the way. She didn't seem bothered, in fact she felt almost brain dead now. She could see people screaming in her face, probably telling her to get below deck but she didn't seem bothered by what they were saying to her. She continued to walk and they ignored her thinking that she would eventually turn back and run to safety. They were just faces. Screaming faces who meant nothing to her. They had too much to do to worry about her now. She felt like she was under some spell which she couldn't get out of. She could feel her mind telling her to turn around and run but something inside her seemed to pull her into the midst of all the danger. Her arms felt as heavy as lead and allowed them to slump down the sides of her body. Her legs felt as free as the wind and seemed glide across the deck.

She looked around and saw the person she wanted to find. She watched Jim order the crew members and told George to pass on orders to those he couldn't get to. Something was wrong. She didn't know what it was but there was definitely something wrong. These enemy planes just came out of nowhere. Nothing could just come in without the motion sensors inbuilt in the ship detecting them. What was their cause as well? Montressor had more peaceful relations with other systems, galaxies or planets than anyone else. So who could possibly want to attack them. She took another step forward and leaned over the side to see who it was. No. Nothing. Although just before she was about to turn away. She saw something. There was nothing hidden underneath what must've been painted over the plane which looked so familiar. It almost looked like...

She then felt like she was caught between being pulled back sharply and being pushed back by some shock wave. She tried to grab onto the side but the grasping functions in her hands didn't seem to work for a moment and yet again she was thrown onto the floor which hurt her spine more than it did the first time round. She thought this would make the distortions of her senses even worse however a sudden, intense pain in her chest immediately shot her back into reality. All the sounds of chaotic screaming, shooting from both sides and running across the deck seemed to crash down on her ear drums. She wanted to lift her hands to her ears to block out the noise but she also found that she couldn't even move her arms. She tried moving a toe and felt that move a little which assured her that she hadn't paralysed herself completely. However this knew she still wouldn't be able to push herself up and get to her feet.

She looked around to see if there was anyone nearby who could help her and found that her head was being supported by someone she nudged her head to the side to see who it was. Hawkins. He was staring down at her in distress and panic. She frowned and turned away to see what was going on. Everything in her vision seemed sharper than it was moments ago and everything in her mind seemed clear. She glanced up at Jim was shouting at her. Not in anger but in panic. She looked down to see what it was on her chest which he was getting so upset about. Her dress was previously that evening a pale blue, now it was soaked in the middle with a crimson red. She felt more surprised than distressed at this but was confused why she seemed more awake after rather than before she was shot. Jim slid his arm beneath her and ran across the deck and up the stairs to his room. She wanted to grab onto him in fear of him dropping her however he seemed to carry her up to his cabin with such swiftness and ease it was almost as if he teleported her there. George was there talking to some crew members working below and stared in horror at what Jim had brought in.

"Fetch a doctor!" Jim roared. "NOW GEORGE!"

George nodded dumbly and ran down the hall. Jim turned back to Cassandra stroking her hair. She wasn't shaking at all. However she was taking in huge, deep breath and looking around erratically as if she had lost something.

"You're going to be okay." He whispered. She looked at him as if she knew this and nodded just out of courtesy. Jim sighed and looked up to see when that doctor was going to get here.

~ (***) ~

George had fetched the doctor and told him to go to the Captains cabin immediately. The man looked at him shakily and asked if the Captain was alright. He was smart and experienced enough to know that once the Captain was injured the welfare of the rest of the ship was sent into a domino effect. As he was thinking over the possibility George could see he was losing sight of the point of him being there and considering it was his sisters life on the line he was becoming increasingly annoyed by the second. George snapped at him and told him not to ask questions and just go. The man jumped and nodded, thankfully running in the right direction. If he did he feared that he may grab him and throw him rather than turning him in the right way. If the situation wasn't so frantic and urgent he would make a mental note to apologise to the man later. However the man looked like he had seen too many wars he cared to watch and was probably used to being shouted at like this.

George ran back to the deck to take over Jim's responsibilities however he would find it surprising if he didn't come back down to return to giving the crew members orders. He wasn't saying that he loved giving orders but he knew James Hawkins wasn't the type of Captain who ran away from his responsibilities idly. So under the circumstance of his ship being under attack by an unknown enemy certainly wasn't going to be the event where he would step back from that principle. He ran forward and shouted them for all sides. He would shout for the crew to go to one side of the ship to another. He would roar if the sails needed to unfurled or furled up again. At some point he felt he couldn't shout anymore since his throat felt so raw. He would glance over his shoulder to see if Jim would emerge from the cabin but there was still no sign of him.

"Hey look their leaving!" Someone cried which was followed by a roar of applause. Some people were throwing their fists at the departing ships or making other jeering gestures at them.

He peered at a plane and was sure there was something smudged on there. He couldn't be sure but then again most of the time his intuition and his gut instinct always served him well. He thought it was his imagination and thought at first it was possibly nothing and maybe it had melted due to the heat of the engine. However there was something in his head telling him to not let it slide. They had no idea of who had attacked them and even the slightest sign or clue could help them find out who it was. He looked again and narrowed his eyes because it was so unclear. Like some symbol had been painted over in fear of being identified. He took out some binoculars and focused on the smudge and saw there was a faint but definite possibility of there being two swords crossing over one another as if there were two swords locking in battle.

He slowly took them from his eyes and tried to think clearly. He had to think about this before he talked to anyone about it. If he said anything he would cause a domino effect and if he was wrong it would be his head on the block. It would sound like madness if he said it out loud. He rubbed his eyes and tried to clear his head. He could sense that there was an emotional and personal compromise to this and knew that he couldn't be completely absolved from bias in this decision. He knew the only way to come to the right conclusion is to clear away all those factors. When he did this his thoughts returned to Diana. He had taken her straight to beneath deck and found himself walking in that direction before his brain even registered what he was doing. He needed to check that she was alright. She needed to know. No. No she didn't. It was just a speculation. But still...

He came to the door and knocked. Selina Felnela peered through the door and looked over her shoulder and called Diana. The young woman looked out timidly but reached out to touch his arm almost as if naturally.

"Is everything alright, Mr Richardson?" She asked breathless.

He nodded uncertainly. "They've retreated."

She gasped and brought her hand to her chest. "Thank goodness. Where is Cassandra? We have been looking everywhere for her."

He looked down and reluctantly answered, "She has been shot by one of the enemy planes. She's being examined by the doctor as we speak but I would not go see her right now."

Diana paled over and George grabbed her before she fell down to the ground. "It's my fault." She said quietly.

He shook his head. "No. No, Diana it's not your fault. Don't ever think that."

"Well if I hadn't asked her to come she wouldn't be here and she wouldn't have gotten hurt." She sobbed.

"Don't think that, Diana! It's only the fault of those damn O-" He stopped himself and looked away to compose himself.

She tilted her head and frowned. "Mr Richardson? What is it? What's wrong?" She asked. She looked at him evenly as it now dawned on her there was something he wasn't telling her. "What is it that you're not telling me?"

He shook his head dismissively. "It's nothing. It's best if I never mentioned anything."

She picked up her skirts and walked right up to him and was now so close their bodies were almost pressed against one another. She didn't need to crane her head back since she wasn't that much shorter than him standing at five foot seven despite his taller stature.

"If it compromises a very dear friend and your sister, Mr Richardson you must tell me now. Otherwise you would be doing a great disservice to your character."

George stepped back and thought about this for a moment. He knew if he lied to her she would be able to tell since he knew his eyes wouldn't be able to lie for him as well as his tongue could. He also wouldn't be able to live with the fact that he would lie to her in order to save his own head and reputation. If he told her about his suspicions it would then be out. However the thing he was most concerned about how she was going to take it. He could see that Diana Firestone had a very delicate spirit and he feared that he may break it if he made his thoughts be known. Either by anger, shock or despair, it didn't matter. He didn't want to break it at all. It would be too much to bare for him. It was bad enough he had to stand by and wait in agony for her to be married off to another man. She hated it that she couldn't think of anyone but her but the problem was that she was unattainable. He could see that there was no excitement in her being married. He could sense that there was something else. Another element in this engagement no one knew about.

"When I looked at the planes as they were flying away. I was sure I saw something. We weren't able to identify them we didn't even see them coming. It was like they came out of nowhere. Anyway as they were flying away I focused in on them." He explained waving his binoculars. "And I saw something smudged over a symbol, as if they had painted over it to avoid identification. It was a symbol of a galaxy."

"Which one?" She asked hesitantly.

He paused and opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out of his mouth. It was his reason trying to hold him back.

"I don't want to speculate just yet."

"Mr Richardson please tell me." She cried desperately.

"It was the symbol of Orion."

There was a silence hovering between them. Diana looked paler than ever and he could see her little fist shaking a little. He didn't dare step forward to touch her or comfort her in fear of what she may do.

"Miss Firestone."

"You must be mistaken." She snapped.

"I'm sorry for distressing you."

"Is this about my marriage? Is everyone suspecting me of being forced into this?"

"Have you?" He asked.

She looked away quickly and was about to return to her room but when she was about to bid a farewell over her shoulder he grabbed her and brought her close.

"Miss Firestone, with all due respect, I must ask if you have been forced into this marriage against your will."

"It's a family matter."

"Miss Firestone, I recall you saying to me, in a rather suspicious tone whether my sister had been talking to me about your engagement. Now I can suspect that this is what you are referring to and if my sister has been able to indulge in your confidences, especially in a matter which could also become a matter concerning the government then it does concern me. Now let me ask you again, have you been forced into this against your will?"

"Why do you care? Why are you treat me this way? Why are you trying to force this out of me?" She sobbed hysterically. "Honestly tell me why you care so much about this matter?"

George Richardson responded in a way he never thought he would and committed another impulsive act without thinking that evening when concerning Diana Firestone. He grabbed her by the sides of her face, digging his fingers into her light red locks of hair and kissed her. It wasn't a hesitant, polite kiss. It was more desperate and passionate. He didn't want to hold anything back from her. He didn't want to share her or want any other man to have her. He wanted her to be his even if it was for this moment. Diana was rather confused and shocked in these moments when George Richardson was kissing her. She brought her hands to his shoulders to lean onto him. She didn't want this to end even though she knew it was madness. She always knew she loved him but she didn't know if it could be possible or even if he loved her back. She was so happy and so sad that nothing would come of it. When they drew away from one another and looked at each other and thought only one thing.

_What have we done?_


	30. Lamentable Love

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

**A/N: **Hi! Sorry for the long update. By the way I can now announce the winner of my poll:

**Emily Browning**

I'm also going to set up another one but this time it will be under the circumstance that Diana was being cast. It will be on my profile so if you want a faster update than this one...

Anyway with relation to this chapter, its going to be very Jim-Cassandra centric. The scene has been inspired by the very moving scene in The Tudors if you've watched it when Jane Seymour dies and Henry begs her to live. It was very moving and I thought it very appropriate considering the predicament Cassandra is now under and the feelings between the two characters. I hope you like it enough to forgive me for the slow update which was also due to the fact that I am now at university so...

Lamentable Love

For **imissmycupcakegir**

Jim waited in the corner for the doctor to finish inspecting over her and executing all the proper precautions correctly. He was watching everything which was happening as if he were a ghost or a mindless watchman whose only priority was to make sure that no harm came to her. It put the Physician under a lot of pressure. His eyes were bloodshot with dark rings under them noting at his tiredness and anxiety. His hair was in disarray from running his fingers through it too often over the past few hours as he paced around the room. He looked like he needed to be attended to by the doctor but he knew better than to mention it. He had brought Cassandra up to his own quarters, just by impulse. By natural reaction. He wanted her close to him. He wanted to be the first to know whether she was going to be alright or if...He didn't want her to be anywhere else but close to him. Close enough to be able to keep a watchful eye over her progress. He went down briefly onto the deck to see that whoever was attacking them had retreated. He could tell by the cheers of the rest of the crew members but he was in no mood to join them in their celebration because he knew that the battle still hadn't ended. Not with Cassandra still being on her deathbed. There was no point in celebrating anything while Cassandra was still in danger.

Her injuries were getting increasingly worse by the minute. Even Jim could see that and he had no knowledge of medicine but he knew all there was about the common injuries which occur on a ship. There was a term where he had to pass a class in standard health and safety and to be able to treat a certain injury in case the Physician was down. A captain had to be ready to face any situation. The one they didn't ready you for was something like this but then again they always advised you against falling for the Captains daughter or any of the crew members...It still happened though. The burns surrounding the wounds was making it overbearingly painful for her and eventually she had fallen unconscious from the pain. He took her hand at some point when she cried out in pain, even before the doctor injected her she cried out more. He shushed her like his mother did when he was child and caught the fever one winter. He gripped it tightly and whispered comforting words. He brushed his fingers through her hair soothingly but he knew his efforts were wasted. There was nothing he could do to take away the pain that she was enduring. She was so strong, so it was so strange for him to see her so helpless, so in need for the help of others. If he could he would reach out inside her and extract the pain she was feeling now and insert it into himself. Whatever it took to take her away from the pain and the danger she was now in.

She was also catching an infection which was weakening her immune system. She was sweating all over but her face was as pale as death. It was undeniable at this stage. She was dying. As each minute passed she was coming closer and closer to her eventual death. Or it could come around, if a miracle happened on board. He was sure that the Captain was hoping for one at the moment or tried with all his might to believe in one when it defied all logic. Jim closed his eyes tightly trying to will the thought to fly far from his mind. felt so helpless as he stood by and watched the doctor do the best he could. She couldn't die. She was stronger than this. Her wounds were bad and there were some men who were physically stronger who had died from worse but...She couldn't die. She wasn't allowed to. It was a selfish command to make but he couldn't bare the thought of her...He could not stand by and watch her die but there was nothing he could do. Although he wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him. _Make her better_, he wanted to scream. _Try harder. Make sure that she lives. Whatever it takes. Make sure that she lives. _Jim didn't care if she was never going to return his love. He didn't care if she was going to get better but was never going to love him. He didn't care whether she was going to take another path or another. He just wanted her to be in the world not out of it. He wasn't going to let her die.

The doctor turned to him with an uncertain expression on his face. "I'm sorry. I've done all I can."

Jim looked down and sighed deeply. "Is there nothing you can do?"

"I have tried everything I know. I have drained as much blood as I can along to get rid of the poison but without killing her. I've soothed the wound and burns. We can only allow time to do its work."

"But what if she dies?" Jim insisted.

The doctor looked down. "There is a possibility...Please Captain. I am sorry. There is nothing I

can."

"Leave." He whispered calmly. "Please. Get out."

The doctor nodded and rushed out the room hurriedly. He was just waiting for the command for him to leave. He knew if he stayed any longer he would probably cause him to have an injury since what he was doing was useless. Jim didn't shout at him or throw anything at him but he knew that if he didn't do as he was told now he soon would. He could also tell that there was something more than the mere concerns of a Captain in this matter and it was something he best not trifle with. He knew there was something more than duty which was driving not only himself but others to believe that she could be saved from this. He closed the door carefully after collecting up his instruments with shaking hands. Jim turned away from the door with tears collecting up in his eyes. His heart felt as heavy as a rock weighing him down in his chest. His skin felt like it had been set alight which was a fire that was burning brighter by each moment that passed when he was still looking at her. He couldn't bare it any longer. He had to face the reality of it but he still wanted to hold onto that hope that she was going to be alright. He turned to her with a forlorn look on his face as he stared down at her deathly pale, still face. She was so still but her expression was not a restful one but one struggling with the inner turmoil her body was experiencing at the moment in time. Her dark hair was plastered to her forehead by sweat which was dripping down her face.

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. It was unbearable. He couldn't hold it back any more. They had both being tiptoeing around it for these past few days. No for years. There was always something there but none of them wanted to admit to it because...Well Cassandra was afraid and he knew he would be made a fool if he admitted to his side of it if it was the case where he was just misreading her emotions. He couldn't stand by and watch this any longer but what else could he do? He couldn't leave her now. Not at the moment when she needed him most. Not at the moment when she was most vulnerable to the forces in this world which she or he could not control. He prayed that one of these forces which brought her to this point could also save her. He wanted to chose hope over reality but he knew that it wouldn't help in a situation where he could no nothing at all to change the course that it would take. He wanted to kill the man for not doing his job but he knew deep down that reason was telling him that he had done all he could. That the doctor was not to blame. That it was the pilot that fired the gun which caused all of this to happen. He would not rest until he would find out who had done this. It was not only a matter which concerned the interests of Montressor but of the fact that it targeted someone whom he loved more than anything in this world.

He knew that now. More than ever, he knew that he loved Cassandra Richardson and there was no way he could deny or turn away from this fact. There was nothing and no one who was going to make him feel any differently. He loved her more than the feeling of something rising in his chest as he soared through the air. He loved her more than the concept of freedom which he always thought would be his mistress. He loved her more than the comforting taste of his mother cooking. But this was because to him, she was all these things put together. She reminded him of the familiarity of his home due to her dedication to austerity and disgust at the elitist lifestyle. She was the very definition of freedom with her free-thinking, her lack of boundaries of how she should feel and how she should express them. She was not afraid to behave the way she wanted to because she paid no mind to what was expected of her or what society believed to be accepted. She could accept anyone no matter what their beliefs, lifestyles, desires, backgrounds. She had high hopes which went further than the petticoats and the stars which watched over her at night. She looked beyond the walls which she had been confined in for so many years. This was why he loved her. It was simply because she was herself. She was someone who wanted to be a free as he did when he was her age. They were the same.

He rubbed his eyelids and tried to not give in to tears. He didn't want her to see him like this in case she would expect the worst as soon as she would look up at him. She wouldn't want that but there was no way of turning away from the sorrow he was now feeling as the possibility of her death was closing in on the present time. Death was inevitable but Cassandra Richardson was supposed to have a long life. She was supposed to be able to arrive at her death bed as an elderly woman with a million stories which could be passed down to generations. She was supposed to die an adventurer and a storyteller. Not necessarily her own but so that she could be remembered. He was not master of the universe but if this was not to be then it would be a definite sign that there was an imbalance in the nature of it. This was not how her life was supposed to pan out. He couldn't allow her life to end this way. It wouldn't be right. He had promised himself one the day of the death of her father that he would protect her from such an end. He turned back to the bed and slowly walked to her bedside and fell to his knees abruptly. He delicately picked up her small, frail hand and held it lightly but firmly. He turned back to her and took in a deep breath. She looked so weak, so helpless.

"Cassandra..." His whispered. Her name rolled off his tongue so uncertainly and so rigidly. He was barely able to say her name without stuttering.

He brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes and pressed his lips to her forehead. He felt her stir under his lips and broke down. He couldn't contain it any longer. He pressed his forehead against hers.

"Please don't go. Please...Don't leave...Not yet..." He begged shakily.

It was unreasonably to ask her not to leave him as if she was walking out a door. She not no control over this. She was not choosing to die. He pulled himself away and took the hand he was holding and brought it to his lips.

"Please...Don't leave me...You are everything that I love about this world...If you leave it will be like the wind one day disappearing...drifting away to some other universe...I will not longer be able to have the wind to travel to other worlds...the heart or passion to venture to them...You are the compassion this world needs...that those who are yet to receive it..."

A sob was threatening to escape from his throat but he held it back. "Without you this life...will be empty...it will be like being imprisoned by such high walls not one will escape from the misery they have to endure...all dreams will be stifled..."

He turned away and to the window and did something which he had never done before. He prayed.

"Please...I know this is a selfish request...but I beg you don't take her...Not now...I don't ask you to let her stay for myself...but for her...for what she can do...Please don't take her...Not yet..."

He pressed himself against what could be her stomach and sobbed. His tears stained the bedsheets and he remained there for what seemed like hours until he rose up again and brushed away his tears.

"I'm so sorry that I never told you before now. I'm so sorry that this was what was required for me to tell you this. I can only say this simply. I can only tell you in the simplest of ways that I love you. It is something which is just true. Without cause. Just you."

~ (***) ~

Marianne tapped her drink against the table. She glanced at a barmaid who winked at her when she refilled her cup which caused Marianne to pull a face and wonder what sort of bar this was. She noticed a few women dressed like herself she had to admit...But still, she wasn't into that kind of thing. She chose to live like a man but it didn't mean that she had the same tastes as one either...

Someone came rushing in a small boy of about twelve and ran straight towards the barman out of breath.

The barman frowned at him and leaned down at him. "You alright, lad?"

"Yeah I just needed to get a message out. There was an attack on a voyage ship out in the outer rim. Me and my Dad were out doing some late night shift and we saw a ship heading in the direction of Orion being attacked!"

Marianne looked up sharply and leaned in with her ears pricked up with interest, although didn't allow herself to remain too obvious.

"By who?"

The boy shook his head. "Couldn't tell. The ships alright though. They were able to fight them off. We just thought we might tell someone. Get the word out."

Marianne turned away and took a long sip of her drink. _I could make a pretty good guess..._

The barman nodded to the boy. "Good lad."

Marianne felt the ground shaking a little around her and saw that a great shadow had been cast upon her and looked up with a smirk on her face.

"Oi!" She heard the barman shout. "Leave the lady alone."

She waved a hand. "Don't worry he's my brother."

"Marie..." Her confused brother mumbled. She patted him on the arm and beckoned him to sit down.

"Don't worry about it Murat just sit down." He nodded dumbly and did as he was told. "I'm glad I was able to find you. I need you to help me with something."

Murat nodded again. "Yes, Marie. I did as you told me to. I stayed. I'll come and help you too."

She tilted her head and rubbed his head affectionately. "Good boy. You were always a good brother, Murat."

The six-foot-ten man smiled and nodded. "Yes, Marie. I am a good brother."

Marianne laughed and took another sip of her beer. "Modest aren't we?"


	31. Waking Up To The World

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

**A/N: FIRST I want to call to attention the fact that I have a new poll up concerning this story and I will take the action I did with the last poll that only until there is a majority and had a substantial amount of people voting on it will I actually post a new chapter. **However the only reason I did so was because I had so much reception from people and I thought it would be a little cruel not to post anything sooner considering the cliff hanger I left you all on.

Waking Up To The World

For **taytayfanatical**

George walked down the corridor wondering what he was going to say to Diana. He hadn't spoken to her since he kissed her. He simply bowed and walked away after kissing her. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to cast it from his mind and pretend it had never happened. But it did. There was no turning back now. He could no longer deny his feelings toward Diana even if he wanted to. It was a part of him now. It was his disease. His predicament. Every day, every moment that passed was bringing them closer to their eternal separation. The moment they would complete their journey would be the moment when all hope was gone. He had re-lived that kiss over and over again throughout the days of Cassandra's predicament. He couldn't get the sensation of brushing his fingertips through her silky hair, breathing in the smell of her natural fragrance. The position that Cassandra was now in only made him feel more guilty. He should've been worrying about his sister rather than thinking more about her friend. He should've been the one at her bedside rather than embracing Diana.

He tried to think about his sister. He thought that perhaps he thought about the happy memories it may bring her back to life. He thought of her smile. Her laughter. When her hair would be wildly flying in the wind when she would run through the gardens. He recalled the one time when Cassandra, rather playfully, declared that men were hopeless. He was now wondering whether she was right and whether she was being serious. Cassandra was always one who flitted between the boundaries of seriousness and playfulness. She was really the one who could never make up her mind despite the charade she put on. Now she was on her death bed. Maybe she had played the game for too long. Maybe she was being called now to make her decision. She had to make her own way in the world and this wasn't going be something which would stop, unless she chose to. Sometimes not all journey's needed to be walked alone. She was being judged now as to whether she really, truly wanted to take this journey alone. It could perhaps be chance for her to see an alternative. To let her see that there wasn't just one choice which lay in front of her but many. That she was no longer confined but her world an oyster.

When he walked back to his quarters he had heard Jim weeping over her almost dead body. He knew Jim cared about his sister but his words only confirmed the intensity of his feelings for her.

_Don't go...Not yet...Don't leave me..._

It was this moment George was about to knock on the door to see if he could check on his sister. Instead he stopped and brought his ear to the door. He wondered whether he was talking to someone else but through a crack in the door he could see Captain Hawkins holding his sisters hand with tears rolling doing his cheeks.

_...it will be like the wind one day disappearing...Without you this life...will be empty...it will be like being imprisoned..._

George remembered wanting to step back and recover from his astonishment. He had never heard Jim talk like this before. He never knew that this was how he really felt about his sister. Why he was always so concerned about her. He had never heard love to be declared in such a way. To see it as painful and necessary.

_...beg you don't take her...I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry..._

George had turned away now and pressed himself against the wall but he could still hear him. He wanted to bang his head against it to shut out the noise but was afraid of being detected. He couldn't help but empathise with Jim. He knew what it was like to feel unbearable amount of pain, love and regret simultaneously.

_can only say this simply...I love you...without cause...Just you..._

George closed his eyes and wondered whether he should try to shut these words out as well. He believed that if he could just shut the world out he could finally be at peace. But you could never shut the world out because it always came flooding back in. He wanted to assure Jim that there was nothing wrong in his feelings towards his sister. That he would pose and no obstacle to him. It had all made sense to him now. Why Jim and Cassandra behaved the way that they did towards one another. He knew now that his sister also loved him in return but with being the way that she was she didn't want to give into her feelings upon the fear of being trapped. She could be so foolish sometimes. She was free to love the person who loved her in return. He was tied to no one and neither was she. He had to bare his pain and take back what he had done even though it would always be a part of him unless he came to find someone else to love but even the thought of that was unbearable. Not to mention selfish. Jim should not be the one to apologise but she. She was being selfish in her pride and irrational fears by abstaining herself from loving him.

He brought himself to the door now and without hesitation knocked. He waited a moment until finding himself face to face with Diana herself. He half hoped and expected it to be Selina. Diana's eyes widened and almost dropped to her knees to curtsey.

"Mr Richardson. Is there any news of your sister? Is she well?" She asked hurriedly.

He looked at her gravely. "Unfortunately there has been no change. Thank you for asking."

"Well...she is like a sister to me." She cast her eyes downwards. "I couldn't imagine what I do if she died. I would never forgive myself."

"It's not your fault." He replied passionately. She looked up at him gingerly which made him feel embarrassed. "I came here to apologise for...I do not regret what I did although I will not compromise the promise you have already made. But only if that is what makes you happy."

She nodded. "Thank you." She whispered breathlessly.

"I know you have always seemed like a sister to her. Even though she has some of her own. What I am trying to say that she came on her own accord. Don't blame yourself for a decision that she made regardless of the fact that your engagement is the reason for this voyage."

She smiled comfortingly. "Thank you. I can see you have her kindness."

He chuckled. "It is something both our parents had."

"She told me so much about your family. Although...No..." She giggled nervously.

"What is it?"

"I was going to ask you if...You would like to go on a walk with me but...I thought it too brazen."

"Not at all. A request such as that wouldn't make me think any less of you." He offered his arm gallantly. "Well, Lady Firestone?"

~ (***) ~

The streams of light was shining brightly through the window. It was almost like Heaven was sending her a sign. As ironic as it seemed. She wasn't to enter Heaven yet. She knew she wasn't ready. She hadn't redeemed herself for her faults yet. She smiled weakly, laughing at herself almost that the first words which would enter her mind would be something like that. She wanted to laugh so loudly that she would wake the rest of the ship if it was the early hours of the morning but her throat felt so dry. She had never been religious and really never cared to be. No matter how sinful that sounded. She believed up until this point that it had no affect or influence over her life. Perhaps she was wrong. She turned her eyes to the window again and smiled. It was the light. It was the light that was the first thing she saw when she woke up. It was the light which guided her home, even though once this voyage had ended she would no longer have a home.

She felt so cold but so hot all at the same time. Now she was fairly normal again. Everything was settling now. She felt like a rock was sitting on her chest and that her legs were paralysed. But she was alive. This she was certain of. She was in danger of dying but she was slowly crawling out of the battlefield and was alive. She was fighter. She had been and always would be. Her hand felt numb. She rolled her head slowly over to where her hand was and found no one there although she was sure she felt at some point that there was someone holding her hand. She didn't know why she made this presumption but she was also sure she had heard someone's voice whispering to her in her dreams.

It was such a sad, kind voice. One which was filled with so much emotion and there was even a wishful thought in her mind as well because of the words which she was sure she heard.

_love you..._

She had hoped that these were words which had been actually spoked by him. By Captain Hawkins. The man she loved. The one whom she selfishly kept her true feelings from. She took in a deep breath and craned her neck back. She felt like it was so hard to breathe. She thought the worst was over. Then she realised it was not because of her physical wounds but because of the ones inside.

"Cassandra?"

She turned her head sharply and gasped. Selina was standing at her door one moment and in the blinking of an eye had rushed to her bedside and wrapped her arms around her.

"They said that there had been no change and that you were so unconscious." She drew away from her and saw there were tears rolling down her cheeks. Cassandra tilted her head and wiped her tears away.

"Now, now. None of that."

Selina suppressed a chuckle. "I can see this near-death experience hasn't changed you old friend."

Cassandra chuckled. "Not in the slightest."

Selina took a firm grip of her hand. "I knew you would pull through. Everyone was walking about the deck with their heads hung down, they were weighed down by their doubts but I didn't doubt your strength for a second."

Cassandra nodded her head and touched Selina's hand appreciatively. "Thank you. How is everyone?"

"Diana has worried about you day and night. She blames herself for what has happened to you. She blamed herself for the fact that it is her engagement that is the reason of this voyage."

"Well that is certainly going to be the first matter address next time I see her." She muttered.

"Your brother has also been concerned although it hasn't caused his performance to waver." She said with her voice trailing into unspoken words.

"What is it?"

"It's the Captain. Ever since you fell ill he's been...He's hardly come out of his lodgings. He's been in here watching over you day and night-"

"I heard his voice." She muttered. Selina frowned at the words and Cassandra turned her with her eyes widened. "I heard his voice which means...He..."

Selina shook her hand. "Cassandra what is it?"

"I heard his voice and I've forgotten most of the words except...I-"

They were interrupted by someone opening the door. They both turned to see who it was and found Captain Hawkins staring down at her. Selina quickly glanced at her and turned back to the Captain and curtseyed before leaving the room.

Cassandra wanted to protest but she felt too weak to do so and also her responding wasn't as good as it usually was for the same reasons. She sat up by supporting herself by her elbows which she knew she wouldn't be able to do for long. After she closed the door she slowly turned her eyes back to Captain Hawkins who was staring at her like he was witnessing the impossible. He was staring her like she had risen from the dead. She felt herself shiver under his gaze. His eyes were so intense, so full of fire she didn't know what he would do. He looked as dead as she imagined she did for the past few days. He looked so tired with the dark rings under his eyes. He was paler than she would imagine a ghost would be. He was thin and worn out. His hair was messy and looked as if he hadn't washed it for days. She wanted to reach out to him, to reassure him that everything was going to be alright now. She wanted to comfort him. To convince him that she wasn't a ghost. That what he was seeing was real.

"James." She whispered. She lifted her hand slowly which he rushed to in fear of her using too much energy. He knelt by her side and with his other hand touched her cheek affectionately.

"Thank goodness you're alright."

"Of course I am. You know it takes more than a bullet to take me down." He chuckled at the joke and wrapped his arms around her gently. She rested her head on his shoulder and felt safe in his arms. The smile on her face slowly growing.

~ (***) ~

"What are you thinking about?" Diana asked George

He smiled faintly. "I was wondering...why my sister always felt so alone. Or the need to do things alone with so many people surrounding her and are willing to help her."

Diana shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose it is just her way. If you love someone enough it is better to accept them as they are and not to question their natures."

George chuckled. "You're too good for my sister. You know that? You're too good for any man for that matter."

Diana's smile faded slightly and when George saw this he looked away abruptly. "I shouldn't have said that. I apologise."

"No don't. You meant nothing of it."

"I did actually."

Diana glanced at him not knowing what to make of this comment but could tell by the earnest expression on his face that he wasn't lying.


	32. Nothing To Forgive

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

**A/N: **Hey I'm back! Just a few weeks till Christmas and just over a month till my exams (University exams...SCARY.) Anyway I thought since I haven't updated this much loved story in a while I might as well when I have some time. Also I would like to remind everyone of the poll I have up NOT for Cassandra but for Diana this time and since there is no majority yet it will still remain up until at least ten people vote this time and like I said there is a majority. Anyway I've had my rant so here is a new chapter for A Little Cluster of Stars. Enjoy.

Nothing To Forgive

For **Arinlianette**

Cassandra slipped on her dress with uncertainty rising up in her chest on the first afternoon she left her bed which happened to be on the same day she had awoken from her 'coma'. She had been this uncertain before but the difference this time it not uncertainty in what had happened but more how she would deal with it. She knew now that she had always loved him and now it had been confirmed that those feelings were returned. Now she had to figure out whether she would pursue or ignore them. She decided a little fresh air may clear her mind. The doctor advised her against it and said this while glancing at the Captain nervously (she was later told that James Hawkins was rather aggressive towards the doctor while she was injured, so he probably feared in making her ill again and being at risk of being thrown over board). Diana implored her to get some more rest. Her brother was also a little worried about her leaving her bed so soon, James on the other hand had no objections. She thought that he would be the first in attempting to tie her to the bed let alone trying to use gentle persuasion to remain in her room but when she told him her plans he simply nodded and had something brought over to the rooms for her to dress in.

She was brought her plain, grey dress with a pretty, lace collar. Once she was finished she straightened out the skirts and looked at herself in the mirror, not critically. Just looking. She remembered it was one of her mother's dresses which has recently been passed down to her. It was one of the reasons why she liked it. She also liked it because it was simple and nothing too fashionable or prone to being stopped in the street and complimented on its style which would inevitably lead to small talk (a tradition amongst women which she detested more than dancing lessons). She was a similar height to her mother, perhaps a little taller but it still fitted. She was glad of this. When she looked in the mirror she could almost imagine her father standing behind her with his mischievous grin whispering in her ear that she looked so much like her. She would spin round as if to wrap her arms around him but would find no one there and remember he was no longer with her. If she did she would only be hugging a ghost.

There was a knock on the door which made her jump. She smiled with relief when the visitor poked his head around the door.

"Ca- James."

"I was wondering if you were ready. You said you wanted to go for a walk?"

She nodded. "You were going to walk with me?"

"If you don't mind-"

"Not at all." She replied quickly. She walked out the room and took his offered arm and walked out onto the deck. The fresh air hit her like a refreshing, revitalising tidal wave. She was too free a spirit to be locked away in a room for so many days on end. Unconscious or not.

"How are you feeling?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Well. As well as I can be. I think I needed a little fresh air."

He nodded. "I agree. One more minute in that cabin and I can imagine you would want to kill someone. You're never one to be locked away, Cassandra."

"I can't imagine anything worse." She murmured. "I suppose you of all people know that."

"Yes and that's what I love about you." The word 'love' made her blush a little and glanced up at him gingerly and looked away.

"Not a lot of people do. My teachers most of all. In fact they detested it. They called it one of my 'unwomanly flaws'." She chuckled.

Jim looked a little grim now and shook his head. "That isn't right."

"What isn't?"

"To continue convincing girls that there is a wrong or right way to behave. That there has to be a certain criteria a woman needs to apply herself to in order to be something society expects it to rather than what they expect of themselves."

"You sound a lot like me." She replied quietly. She had to admit to herself she was rather mesmerized by his little speech. She had never heard a man speak so passionately about the subject and from that perspective as well.

"I suppose I have learnt a lot from you." He said with a little smirk on his face. "I must apologise for what I-"

She shook her head. "Don't." He frowned and looked like he was about to ask why but she was already a step ahead of him. "There is no need to."

~ (***) ~

George watched Diana agonise over his sister, her hair was in a disarry from running her fingers through it too frequently (but then again he could run his fingers through it too frequently, even if he wasn't supposed to be thinking about such things). He appreciated the fact that his sister was able to obtain friends who cared for her so much. The first thought he had when she was sent to boarding school was the thought of her being tormented by people there but thankfully not every girl there were from a family of conformists. Not to mention that it would put a stop to her dreams and gear her more towards finding a rich husband. He was almost worried about her becoming like one of the those socialites and being too overly influenced by their ideals. Diana wasn't as radical as Selina and his sister but she had the same level of acceptance Cassandra had and with that you had to have a little bit of uniqueness.

"She'll be alright." He assured her. She looked up and blinked nodding solemnly. "Some fresh air might do her some good. You never know."

"Perhaps." She said quietly.

He sighed. "She's alright now, Lady Firestone. There is no more need to worry." Without realising it had had his hand on hers which he slipped away nervously when she glanced down at it.

"I wish our sister was here." He murmured.

"Victoria?"

He looked at her blankly then laughed. "Oh yes! Well yes I knew one of my sisters was called Victoria but I was more thinking about Helen."

"Oh. Cassandra mentioned her a few times. I might have actually seen her when you came to visit once she seemed very nice."

He nodded. "I could see you two getting along. You're very much alike actually. It must be why Cassandra likes you so much. After our mother died she was...it was almost like a part of herself died. She was able to reclaim that bright, energetic characters she had before when Helen came and the first night she was there...she no longer wore her mourning clothes after wearing black for so many years. She smiled for the first time in a while. She hugged Victoria."

"She sounds like a miracle maker."

"She is, which seems almost appropriate considering she's training to be a doctor."

"That's very admirable. She must be very intelligent."

"Extremely. She almost puts me to shame. Also her father was a doctor. It was how my father and she met. Her father was a ship doctor. They always travelled together as a family since they were so poor but they died as a result of an epidemic and her other options...He owed him a lot and he thought it would be the best way to repay him."

"Your father sounded like a good man. Cassandra always makes him out to be."

He chuckled. "He was. She adored him. We all did."

"Were they really that poor?"

He nodded. "He was a very good doctor that wasn't the problem it was the nature of their marriage. She was a rich man's daughter and she was expected to marry a duke or socialite instead she chose a doctor."

She nodded solemnly. She knew of her pains all too well. "The world's a cruel place. I can say she's a lot more braver than I am."

George looked up at her and thought the opposite. She was just scared and trapped. She had no idea what to do if she was to defy her parents. He felt only sympathy rather than seeing her as someone pathetic. She was being rather diligent in sacrificing herself for her family. He could see that was rather brave. Most girls in her situation would throw a hissy fit in hopes that it could get her out of the situation or would elope with any Tom, Dick or Harry. Nevertheless Diana didn't really feel very brave. She felt like she could defy her Grandmother and marry George because he was the man she knew she loved even if she hardly knew him but she knew him better than this Duke.

"What was her name?"

"Whose?"

"Helen's mother."

"I can't remember her name but Helen's surname is Arkwright."

Diana froze but she blinked and regained her posture. "Arkwright?"

He nodded. He didn't seem to notice her change in demeanour. That was good. She didn't want him to suspect anything. Not before she was completely sure if what he was saying was true to her own assumptions. She had heard that name before and she certainly knew under which context. She heard it from listening at keyholes when her Grandmother had 'private' discussions with her father and from other words that were mentioned she knew who and what she was talking about. It was too prominent in her mind to doubt it now. She wanted to hope that she was wrong but at the same time she wanted to hope that she was right as well. If she was wrong she would no longer have to feel so anxious and at such a time as well. If she was right then she would be able to change the fate which awaited her...

~ (***) ~

She found her leaning over the side alone watching the scenery as it passed them by. She looked better and Diana sighed with relief. Mr Richardson had been sent back to his duties and bid her farewell. Diana was too afraid to question him further on the matter because she knew she would pursue the matter relentlessly. She could trust in Cassandra's discretion she had done so up to this point. She was sure she had told no one about the nature of her betrothal to the Duke. Selina had shown no signs that she knew and if she would know she would make it known she knew of it and would set out on a crusade to put an end to to the wedding. She knew if she was going to find out the truth she would find it from Cassandra.

Cassandra looked up sensing someone approaching. She smiled warmly and walked towards her. "Diana." She embraced her and kissed her on the cheek. "How are you?"

"I think I should be the one asking you how you are feeling? Are you feeling any better?"

She nodded. "Much better." Cassandra could see something was troubling Diana who had her eyes cast to the ground. "Diana what is it?"

"I must ask you something but I hope you do not think that I am accusing you of anything."

"Of course."

"Your sister. Helen. Your brother mentioned her name was Arkwright but do you know anything about her mother's family."

Cassandra shook her head. "Nothing. Nothing other than the fact she came from quite a rich family. They opposed the match and disinherited her. No institution would take him either because of the scandal it was why they were so poor. Why?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I..."

"Miss Cassandra!"

They both turned around and saw the doctor approaching them. "I beg you return inside. It is said that there may be cold winds and I don't want you taking any chances considering you condition."

She raised an eyebrow. "I am perfectly fine, doctor." She reasoned.

"Please, Miss-"

Diana rubbed her arm. "Go inside, Cassandra. Please. It may give the Captain some peace of mind as well."

Cassandra glanced in his direction and nodded. "Very well. Are you coming?"

She shook her head. "I may stay a little while longer."

Cassandra nodded and began to walk away then stopped. "Oh. I remember her name now. Her mother's. It was Georgiana."

She turned away and walked inside leaving Diana frozen on the spot. Georgiana...She knew that name all too well. She had been told that name by her Grandmother over and over again. That name had been branded in her mind as the cautionary tale her Grandmother threatened her with. However it was also a name which rested in her heart dearly. She could tell that her Grandmother still cared for her dearly. Even she could tell when her Grandmother was such a cold, manipulative woman she could see that she was capable of compassion and love. Perhaps it was her elopement which made her so. That just confirmed it. Just knowing her first name was enough to know without a doubt that what she suspected was true. It caused her to have too many questions filling her mind now. If they were dead who was her father's money going to? Was there something which she had not been told or perhaps not what her Grandmother had been told? However the biggest question of all was whether she had to go through with this marriage after all.


	33. Peculiar Behaviour

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

**A/N: **Hey I'm back! I just got my timetable for my exams today. Not until like mid January so I will still have to prepare. But the good news is all my three exams are in the first week of the two week examination period and the second semester doesn't start until its finished so the good news is that I have just over a week of a break between when my exams are over and when I have to start working again so I will get some time to do more writing so YAY! But until then I may have to work a little extra hard despite the fact my tutors and lecturers telling me not worry about it and that I'm completely capable blah-blah-blah.

Also I wanted to mention that the poll for who will play Diana is till up because THERE ISN'T A MAJORITY YET. COME ONE GUYS I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE SOME WINNERS BEFORE THIS STORY ENDS WHICH IS A WHILE BUT STILL...Anyway that is all I have to say and I hope you enjoy this chapter after a very long update.

Peculiar Behaviour

For **awsmninja**

They all woke the next morning with that sense of dread and anticipation. It was not one or the other but both. Both which not only sent them into a mental state of disorientation but also into an uncertainty of their own emotions. Today was the day when their journey would end. Today would be the day when all their fates would be decided. Or were things really as simple as that? Was fate really that absolute? George sat in his cabin knowing he was about to lose the one of the surest things he ever had in his life but couldn't help but humanly not give up hope. Diana was filled with uncertainty and wondering whether things were going to go as planned. Cassandra woke up feeling more confused than ever at a life which was filled with so much possibility and feared for the life that one of her closest friends had to face. Selina was filled with more determination than ever with an underlying feeling that for once she may actually fail in her pursuits. Jim was sure that he didn't have to give up hope but didn't know whether Cassandra was going to.

They all got changed into their finest clothing. Diana had been given a crimson red, velvet coat, baby pink lace dress with a hat with a huge feather stuck in it. Her Grandmother told her she must wear it on the day she would first meet the Duke since it was the latest fashion in Orion. Diana thought it was hideous. She had never seen such a horrible combination of colours. She was beginning to wonder whether she was really right about these things but then again she had never been wrong before. When she walked out to meet Selina and Cassandra they said nothing. She knew what she was wearing was the last thing on their minds. Selina was probably wondering why she wasn't marrying a man of her choice and Cassandra was probably thinking about why she was marrying full stop. She knew that they had her best interests at heart but they didn't under the responsibility she had to bare. However now that she knew that she may not have to any more made her question whether they were right all along.

She walked out the room followed by Selina and Cassandra as if she were a Queen and they were her ladies in waiting. But she didn't feel like a Queen. She may have been marrying into nobility but she felt far less than a Queen. She wasn't supposed to be marrying this man. She should never have agreed to this but she had come so far now that there was no turning back. She was supposed to be marrying George Richardson. She couldn't understand why she kissed him. She could see the hurt she had not only inflicted upon him but also on one of her closest friends. She would never be able to erase what she had done despite their reconciliation. As she walked up the stairs onto the deck her heart felt like a stone in her chest weighing her down. Telling her to stop what she was doing. That she wasn't listening to what she really wanted.

She looked up to see George Richardson with such a grim look on his face that it made her heart break into a thousand little pieces and took all her will power to not break down and cry.

"Morning, Lady Firestone. How are you feeling?"

She nodded. "Fine."

He tilted his head. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

She walked passed him and before Cassandra could follow after her she was grabbed by her brother and pulled to the side.

"How is she?"

Cassandra glanced at her for a moment, Selina was rubbed her back and probably whispering something comforting or something to amuse her in her ear.

"I can't say. I know she doesn't want to marry him because she doesn't know him. But she's doing this out of duty for her family. If I'm honest I don't think she should go through with it."

He shook his head. "Then why haven't you discouraged her? Told her to reject him?"

"It was arranged by her family she can't refuse him and he's a noble."

"You know as well as I do, Cassandra that we are not longer living in those times and I've met her family. They wouldn't make her do something like this."

She turned away. "No they wouldn't. They're good to her. It's her Grandmother." She admitted.

George frowned. "What about her Grandmother?" Cassandra looked at him for moment and turned away. He grabbed her by the arm. "Cassandra, what is it? What is it you're not telling me?"

"I can't tell you, George." She replied firmly.

"Why not?"

"She made me promise. You wouldn't want me to break a promise that I made to her now would you?" She replied spitefully before walking away.

George watched her walking away knowing that he wasn't going to give up. He was going to get it out of her somehow. All the secrecy around this engagement seemed shady to him. Orion and Montressor were far from one another and couldn't see how the Duke could be gaining anything than a good woman for a wife. The best woman. He had heard some things about him and it was nothing good at all. He heard that he had slept with many women and over the years had many mistresses. He also had a lot of illegal agreements in terms of trading and any other means to obtain more money. In other words this was a man who was going to break Diana's heart. He couldn't just stand by and watch. He was surprised Cassandra was. She was so fiercely protective of her friends. How could she just stand by and watch especially with her own views upon how women should lead their lives?

Cassandra couldn't understand either. She felt so helpless standing next to her friend as they sailed closer and closer towards Orion. They were now flying through the atmosphere and it was only a matter of minutes before they would dock. She turned to Diana and she could see the fear and remorse in her eyes. She felt like there was a secret that she was keeping locked away in her soul and would always be hidden away for as long as she would live. It was something she had to do otherwise she would be damning herself and anyone else who was involved in the secret that she refused to tell Cassandra or anyone else. Cassandra reached out and touched her hand. Diana looked up and gave her a sad smile. She knew Cassandra was trying her best to comfort her and she appreciated her friends efforts, as useless as they were.

Selina gave Cassandra an imploring look as if she was their last hope. Before she could shake her head Selina was already walking away.

"Are you scared?" Diana nodded wordlessly. Cassandra held her hand tighter. "You know we're here for you, don't you?"

Diana nodded again. "I know." She took in a deep breath. "Cassandra there is something I must tell you. Something...I hope you can forgive me."

"Diana what is it?"

"I...When you were ill your brother escorted me back to our rooms and he...I kissed him. It just happened but now I realise that I love him and I feel like I must make amends before I go through with this. I must admit to what I have done and ask for your forgiveness." She began to weep and Cassandra wrapped an arm around her.

"Shhh. There's nothing to forgive dearest."

"I have broken his heart as well as mine. I should not marry the Duke but I must but now I'm not so sure whether it is necessary."

Cassandra frowned. "Diana what are you talking about?"

"There's something else. I-"

"Land ahoy!"

Cassandra and Diana turned towards their destination and saw the dock looming front of them like a ghost coming back to haunt them. It was something all the teachers back at their school had told them would be their destination even if that turned out to be a lie and she would do everything in her power to make that would also be the case for Diana. Cassandra wrapped a protective arm around her and held her close. She was going to hold her as close as possible. She wanted to be able to tell her that everything was going to be okay but she knew she would be lying. She couldn't bare to tell her a lie even if it would be a merciful one. What she deserved was the truth but the truth which would lead her to a happy life not to one she was now condemned to. When she felt the ship dock it felt like her heart had gone still. She held onto Diana and led her forward like a soldier marching onto war. Selina walked over and joined them. She looked at her and Cassandra shook her head.

_Later, _she mouthed.

They headed off the exit off the ship which filled her with much sorrow as she felt the first time she had done so all those years ago. She glanced at Captain Hawkins and gave him a worried look. She turned away and saw that there was a man elegantly dressed in silks and velvets waiting for them. When they were close enough he bowed flamboyantly.

"Welcome, Lady Firestone. I am the Duke of Orion and it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I can see you are more beautiful in person than what it said in the rumours and in the hand of a painter." He took her hand and kissed it gently. He practically pulled her away from Cassandra and tied her arm to his.

Cassandra glanced at her brother who exchanged a look of concern and walked towards her quickly.

"Look at the flag." He hissed.

"What flag?"

"The flag of Orion!"

She turned to it and narrowed her eyes. There was something familiar about it but she wasn't sure where. Perhaps in a history textbook but then again she wasn't taught such things since her father died.

"What about it?"

He shook his head and sighed. "I saw it on the fighter ships that attacked ours days ago."

She froze. "Are you sure?"

They both looked over at the Duke who glanced over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes at both of them with a look of suspicion. Almost as if he knew that he should see them both equally as a threat to whatever plans he had.

"Positive."

~ (***) ~

Once they had arrived at the household by carriage all they luggage had been put in their rooms and when it was asked whether there was an older woman present Selina and Cassandra shook their heads. The head Maid of the household frowned finding this very unusual considering the nature of the marriage to a noble and then asked who was the older of the two ladies. Selina and Cassandra exchanged a look and knew that they had to admit to themselves that Cassandra was the most responsible of the two and it was lucky she was the older of the two as well. Apparently the doors would be locked due to the recent attacks on the ship which Orion had heard about and felt it would be safer if they took all the precautions necessary to ensure their safety. Cassandra frowned and nodded. She couldn't help but think this was an unusual measure to take. Having bodyguards. Yes. But locking the doors? That's was a bit much.

She went to go find Jim when she was walking through the corridor and overheard voices. "...I cannot believe you failed me!" A voice screeched.

"I do apologise, my Lord. It seems that they were more prepared than we expected."

"If things had gone successfully we would be at war by now!" Cassandra pressed herself against the wall and glanced around the corner.

There was a tall well built man standing over the Duke of Orion. However it wasn't exactly the Duke who was being told off but the other way around.

"I know, Sire."

"I don't think you do otherwise you would understand why I am so angry right now. Because you don't seem to be under-stand-ing my logic! If we had killed my future bride it would cause suspicion around the engagement in the first place. Then we would be able to pin it on Celestri since we've been at odds at them for so long."

"But Sire you only want them for the amount of money to be made from the-" The elderly advisor began but the Duke hit him around the head.

"Shut up! You don't know who may be listening." He hissed.

Cassandra gasped and realised what he was doing now. He was going to start another Celestial War. She put her hand to her mouth and realised if they succeed George and James would be going to war. She wasn't even sure whether they would make it back. So many lives would be lost because of one man's greed. She had to stop him. She had to go to James and tell him everything she had heard. She was sure that he would believe her but how would they prove it to the government. She picked up her skirts and ran as fast as she could. Why Diana? Why did he arrange the marriage to Diana and not to someone of higher rank? She simply didn't understand it. Was this man so sadistic that he decided to pick out of a hat?

She didn't even bother to knock and slammed the door behind her. Jim looked at her and folded his arms.

"Nice to see you-"

"Please I don't have time for this." She panted.

"Oh hi Cassie how are you doin'?" Ben greeted.

She smiled weakly. "Very well, thank you. Captain-"

"So what brings you here?" Ben asked conversationally.

She sighed patiently. "I need to talk to the Captain about something very serious."

James glanced at Ben and Morph and pulled her to one side. "What is it?"

"I think we may be in danger."


	34. Jumping the Ship

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Jumping the Ship

For **Fox Alder**

Jim sent a report to Montressor hoping that it wouldn't be intercepted by Orion or would at least reach them in time. He knew that if there was any detection of what was in that message there was no way that they were going to get off the planet. Cassandra knew deep down that they were on their own. You could only depend on the government to a certain extent, even Captain Hawkins had to acknowledge this. He had no idea what they would do while they were being held hostage in the household of the Duke. They knew if they left it after dinner there would be no way of escaping, that would probably be the perfect time to attack or spark the beginning of their plans. Although with this in mind, they knew that if they went now they would be seen and caught. They had to wait until it got dark and would be able to easily escape into the night. He had informed George who only had a few comments how 'he should've known' and that 'he couldn't wait to strangle the man'. Cassandra could only roll her eyes at his behaviour and head back to her rooms to tell Selina and Diana what was going on. Jim told her that the best time for them to go would be when they were scheduled to have dinner. If they sneaked out the mansion while on their way to dinner they would just suspect them being late. They would be suspected upon nothing but strange manners of those from Montressor.

When she returned to her rooms Selina looked up and blinked. "Where have you been?"

"Look I need to talk to you. Where's Diana?"

Selina sighed. "She's probably in the other room crying her eyes out, poor girl."

"Well she has a good reason to. Diana!" She called.

"Why? What is it?" Selina asked suspiciously.

Diana came out the other room puffy eyed. "Cassandra what is it? What's the matter?"

"When we were attacked...It was Orion. It was Orion that attacked us. When I was on my way to see the Captain I overheard the Duke talking. He was talking about how...Diana that attack was intended to kill you."

Diana gasped and almost fell over if Selina hadn't caught her. "Cassandra!"

"I'm not lying. I swear to you!" She insisted.

"George was right. He saw. He saw the sign of Orion on the ships. I didn't believe him at first but-"

She wept. "Oh God!"

Selina sighed. "I can't believe this. What are we going to do?"

"The Captain thought it would be best for us to escape when dinner was scheduled. It would buy us more time to get back to the ship and get away."

Selina nodded. "Sounds like a good plan. What else did you overhear?"

Cassandra looked at Diana whose face was now drowned in tears. She could see now that it would break her heart if she knew the truth of all of this. She didn't know how she could tell her this easily. She would find out eventually and Cassandra would hate herself for keeping it from her. She didn't know whether she could tell them any more of what she knew. She was too afraid. She didn't want to make Diana feel any more guilty. She didn't deserve to carry all that guilt on her shoulders. She knew her well enough to know that if she knew the full detail of their plan she would take full responsibility of the pain and destruction the war would bring because it would all begin with her engagement to the Duke. She would feel that if she wasn't more strong willed and defied her Grandmother this wouldn't have happened. But if this had happened to another girl she would feel guilty about not protecting that girl from the fate she could've been condemned to. So either way fate had a funny way of treating a person such as Diana. She was someone who was so frail and kind that she didn't deserve this. She deserved more than this and she finally had the chance to escape from this but it came at a terrible price. Cassandra was tempted to lie to her but she already made a promise to herself that she was going to be kinder than that, but she would in turn make the most brutal decision of all.

"I heard that they were going to pin it on Celestri and begin another war for their resources although I have a feeling that...That Diana's father may have been right. That may have been the same reason war was declared on them in the last war."

Diana shook her head. "Why me? Why did he bring me into this and not someone of higher rank if they were going to make an international issue out of this why me?"

"I don't know, Diana. I honestly couldn't tell you."

Selina turned to her and stroked her hair. "Darling what's important is that you're going to be alright? The bright side is you don't have to marry him anymore."

Diana burst out laughing. "You think that's the thing I'm concerned about the most? Not having to marry such a vile man? What about George and Captain Hawkins? If they succeed we will have to go to war. They will have to go to war. I couldn't bare it. You couldn't bare it." She said pointing her finger at Cassandra.

Cassandra shook her head. "No I could not. That is why I know we have to stop them from making this any more public."

"They still need to be held accountable for their actions. I mean they almost killed you, Cassandra."

Cassandra shook her head frantically to stop Selina from finishing her sentence but by the time she had finished Diana was already wailing.

"Well done, Selina." She muttered.

She turned to the window and watched the Duke walk around the grounds with some advisers of his hearing Selina comfort Diana as she quietened down. The Duke stopped one moment and looked up at he window she was staring out of and smirked at her. She turned up her nose and only thought about what a foolish man he was.

~ (***) ~

When the evening came they dressed as they would normally, as if they didn't know anything. They almost pretended amongst one another that nothing was wrong and that they were going to go to go to a fancy dinner. Selina helped Diana into her white, silk dress and pearls. Selina herself was dressed in a bright purple velvet dress with a low cut around the chest area which made Cassandra roll her eyes. She looked beautiful and sexy as usual Even when she was running for her life she still had to wear something revealing enough but was also 'modest enough'. Cassandra decided on a bright green silk dress which actually gave her enough room to run in so at least she was being sensible. Selina was just trying to make a night of it. She smirked it was almost like she was celebrating Diana's sudden freedom from marriage. She felt that should be here department but still she was more focused upon the more important issues at hand of tonight. When the bell went for dinner all three girls looked at one another. They picked up as much as they could and walked out the door. They smiled and nodded to the servants that passed them by but instead of turning in the direction of the dining room they went in the direction of the back entrance.

"Are you sure we're going in the right direction?"

Cassandra sighed. "Yes."

Selina narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure you're sur-"

"Selina not now!" She snapped making her friend smirk.

Cassandra continued down the corridor and then heard a voice. She breathed heavily wondering if they had been caught out. She leaned forward and was about to glance around the corner only to be grabbed by the wrist. She was about to scream when someone covered her mouth.

"Shhh." She sighed with relief seeing it was Captain Hawkins. "Oh. You look lovely."

She gave him a look and instead of thanking him replied. "You scared me half to death."

He smirked. "You're welcome. Come on, we gotta go."

He wrapped an arm around her and for some reason because the feeling of his hand against her bare back made her tingle and whenever he bent low to whisper in her ear he might as well have been kissing her neck she was blushing so much.

"Are you alright?" She nodded quickly.

"I found a transport." George said through the door after staring at Diana for a moment. "Um..."

"Oh George just go start it." Cassandra scolded.

George gave her a look and ran off to start to the engine. She rolled her eyes knowing that this wasn't the best moment to have a squabble between siblings but it was obvious that her brother always thought that at every moment he was being criticised he had to take it that way. Then again she couldn't blame him being this sensitive when you considered their older brother. He was always tormenting him while they were both at school and when she read his letters she couldn't believe that he was talking about Fredrick. She glanced over her shoulder and let the others go first just in case they were caught. In those dresses they weren't exactly going to get very far, she couldn't believe that even though they knew they weren't going to dinner they still felt that they had to dress up. Cassandra on the other hand was more athletic and she had chosen her dress on the account of mobility. She looked back again and saw that everyone was gone and the next second she was being pulled through the doorway by Captain Hawkins. He let go and wrapped his arm around her waist pulling him closer to him. She had her ear pressed against his chest uncomfortably for a moment but could hear his heart pounding in his chest. She pulled away not wanting to think about such things at an inappropriate time.

She jumped into the transport and they rode away through the estate. There was a security checkpoint at the gates where George simply sped up and rammed his way through.

"George!" Diana cried.

Georges smile dropped. "Sorry."

"I was just surprised that's all." She explained clumsily.

Cassandra shook her head. "Can we save the uncomfortable, fumbling lovers talk till we get to the

ship and as far away from here as possible please?"

"Alright Miss Unromantic." Selina teased.

Jim chuckled and patted her knee. "I wouldn't have her any other way."

Cassandra turned to his and his smile faltered a little and felt herself lean forward slightly only to glance in front of them to see if they were there yet.

"How far are we now George?"

"A couple of minutes and we should be there."

She sighed. "For all we know they might be following us." She said glancing out behind them.

"I don't see anyone." Selina murmured.

"Still doesn't mean they're not onto us."

"Alright you two we're here now." George said stopping the transport. Everyone jumped out and rushed towards the ship.

"Mr Crane!" Jim bellowed. Someone appeared over the side.

"Captain?"

"Lower the plank and start the engines! We need to get out of here as soon as possible! No questions that's an order!"

"Yes Sir!"

Jim turned to the others. "We're safe now. Alright?"

At that moment the sound of approaching vehicles could be heard from the distance. Cassandra narrowed her eyes and saw that they were close enough to stop them from getting on the ship and getting away. Or most of them anyway.

"They've lowered the plank lets move."

"We don't have enough time." She murmured.

She felt like her heart was in her mouth. She looked in the direction of the others and then back int the direction of their would-be kidnappers. She remembered something her father told her once after he knew that she wanted to take up his profession. He told her that sometimes the most difficult thing to do was the sacrifice yourself for the crew. He stuck to that rule so far that he was actually willing to leave his children orphans for the sake of the crew...She looked back at the approaching captors and knew what she had to do. After all, she was her father's daughter...She glanced at the gun in Jim's holster and sneakily drew it out and hid it behind her back when he glanced at her for a moment. He probably thought that she was doing something else for a moment and gave him a shy smile. He looked back at her for a moment and smirked. Did that mean...? She shook her head and turned back to what she needed to do. The ship looked a little unsteady and vulnerable to gravity. While the others were climbing on board she waited until Jim had got on only to realise as soon as she was on deck that she was behind him.

"Cassandra come on!"

She saw something holding luggage waiting to be rolled along to somewhere and pushed it against the ship allowing the plank to drop.

"What are you doing?"

She got out his gun. "Buying you time."

She acted before she could explain any further otherwise they would be able to find the time to stop her. She also needed to start working now if her own little plan was going to work. She cut the ropes holding the ship down and by that time they had arrived. She even gave it a little shove not that it was going to help all that much but she had to do something, anything so that they could get away in time. She began to aim and shoot at the guards taking cover behind some cargo. She had remembered her lessons of using a pistol better than she thought, since she was able to hit a few of them. Jim looked over the scene and knew he had to help her. There was no way she was going to get back if she did this alone.

"George. I give you full permission to take control of the ship get the crew back to Montressor."

"But Jim-"

"That's an order your sister and I will get back to you as soon as possible. I promise."

George and James stared at each other for a moment and George eventually gave in and nodded with a sigh. Jim knew he was the only one who was going to be able to save her and he knew that he would be able to trust George to get the girls back in time. He then climbed onto the side and jumped off the ascending ship onto the closest one still docked and climbed down the rope holding it to the dock. He never had to get off a moving ship and was advised not to either and now he knew why. He glanced at Cassandra who was holding her own but that wasn't going to last for long. She was going to run out of ammo soon considering how many times she had fired the weapon. When she leaned out for a better shot she was shot at in the arm making her drop her weapon. She obviously hadn't been taught about how to mind the other gunman along with making sure that she was going to be hitting her own mark. It was kind of defeating the point if she was going to end up getting shot herself. She stepped forwards when she was within clear range and the guards rushed forward and took her. He tried to climb down faster and dropped down but it was too late. They had thrown her into the carriage and drove away.


	35. The Art of War

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

The Art of War

For **Frigyt**

Jim jumped onto the nearest transport and headed straight in the direction the carriage was headed. The wind was pressed against his face and his eyes were stinging because he was going so fast but he didn't care about that. All he could think about was Cassandra right now. Why did she stay? Why did she feel like she had to hold them off? It was true she bought them enough time for a safe getaway but why did she have to stay? Why did she feel she had to be a hero? She shook his head and concentrated on the road. He could ask her those questions later when he rescued her. He hoped that perhaps that it would be the mansion but he knew that would be too obvious, even for someone like the Duke. The fact that Cassandra was able to figure out that he wasn't someone to be trusted in the space of time she had met him was too quick for even the smartest mind in the universe. She wasn't stupid but the Duke was also evidently careless. Although he must know that to put a prisoner in his own household was never a good move.

As he followed them he noticed he had arrived deep in the neck of the woods. He glanced up at the branches crawling over him as if to grab and entangle him in their roots. He glanced around wearily but still kept going. Now was not the time to be scared. He kept his eyes dead on the carriage in case there were any dodgey turnings only not to notice a shadow out of the darkness that would send him falling to the ground.

Jim moaned and rubbed his head. "Damn it..." He murmured. He looked up and still headed the carriage way but it was going to be far away now.

He tried to steadily get to his feet but was pulled up roughly and felt a gun being pressed against the nape of his neck.

"Move or speak and you'll get a shot in the throat. You understand?" The unknown speaker growled.

He nodded stiffly so that he wouldn't entice his attacker. "Good. If you comply you might get out of this alive. Now...Move forward."

He was about to make a comment about him moving contradicting what the man demanded of him but he decided against it knowing that would be the one thing which would get him killed. If there was one thing which annoyed bandits, pirates or highwaymen more than anything were victims who ridiculed their intelligence.

He walked through the forest wondering where he was supposed to go but knew the bandit would probably tell him if he took the wrong turning or not. He would've thought he would be blind folded as well but he wasn't going to ask whether he was going to receive this bonus because he knew it would be both stupid and also would be pushing it again.

"Hey!" Cried out a female voice. Jim jumped for a moment wondering whether it was Cassandra since it sounded like her so much.

Something rustled in the darkness which made both Jim and his captor narrow their eyes in the direction of where the noise was coming from to see what it was and to be ready to jump to action depended on who or what it was. He and Jim exchanged a look silently asking one another as to whether they would become brief allies in whatever it was that was going to appear out of the bushes or whether one of them was going to betray the other and end up being used as bait while the other got away. Jim turned back to where he needed to focus his mind and almost thought that the 'Hey' was a figment of his imagination or him mishearing and some horrible creature was going to appear out of the bushes and devour both of them. Well, it would try to. Jim was never one to go down without a fight. Also he could remember from his training that the best thing to do in this situation was to remain calm otherwise you would definitely end up dead. However he was surprised with what did appear out of the bushes and it was not some horrible creature.

Instead it was quite a rather attractive, older woman. She looked like she was definitely somewhere in her thirties but there was the possibility that she could be older than her looks were indicating. She sounded around this age but he knew this wasn't a good indication to someone's age either. Although there was something familiar about her. She had dark, curly hair which was as wild as another free-spirited girl he knew (which made him smirk since he had a feeling that Cassandra would like this woman) and bright brown eyes which sparkled with intelligence. The same way Cassandra's eyes sparkled in the sun and were as dark as Cassandra's which seemed almost quite similar to Cassandra's except being a different colour. He looked down at her attire and knew immediately that she was a pirate. Now all she needed was some pet sitting on her shoulder and the outfit would be complete. The sword at her waist was the definite indicator that she and this man standing behind him were pirates. Jim tried to maintain his cool and stay calm as he knew it would take a split second for them to realise he was a Space Captain and then he would be in trouble.

She put her hands on her hips and gave the other man and disapproving look. "I thought you were supposed to blind fold him?"

The other man looked at her dumbly. He scratched his head looking a little guilty. "Oh yeah."

Jim glanced over his shoulder to get a good look at him. He was almost a foot taller than Jim and Jim could safely say he was close to six foot. He was bald and looked like he hadn't shaved in weeks and hadn't missed a meal ever due to the huge beer belly almost sticking out of his body.

The man stared down at him threateningly. "What are you looking at shortie?"

Jim raised an eyebrow. "Nothing."

"Really? Cause it looked like you were thinking something I wouldn't like." He replied prodding him with his sword.

"Wow, I would never have thought you as being able to comprehend the thoughts of others let alone thinking for yourself." He snapped.

The man grabbed him roughly. "Why you-"

"Murat stop it!" The woman said firmly. "There's no need to hurt him. Even if he did insult you."

'Murat' sighed and threw Jim aside if he were a rag doll. "I'm sorry I didn't put on the blind fold." He apologised.

The woman rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Never mind. He's here now."

Jim frowned. _This didn't sound like he was being mugged. _"Did the Duke send you after me?" He demanded.

He watched the woman's reactions carefully. At first her expression was calm and emotionless. She was intending to not give anything away during this exchange. Then she looked like she was about to attack him when he mentioned the Duke. He smirked, she obviously wasn't much of a fan or he had found her out too easily. Although if she was working for the Duke she wouldn't let 'Murat' beat him to a pulp considering that the main aim would be to get rid of him. She seemed like the sort of person that didn't want to waste any time so the second presumption was definitely off the table. They were here for a different reason. They weren't here to simply take whatever he had on him. It was information. But what concerned Jim the most was what end that information was going to be used towards.

"What? The Duke of Orion?" She shook her head. "No. We're-" She stopped in mid-sentence and decided to be careful with what she was going to tell Jim. "I don't think that's important. The important thing is I want to know whether Cassandra Richardson is in any danger."

Jim saw red and stepped forward threateningly. "What does the welfare of Cassandra Richardson mean to you?" He demanded.

The man grabbed his by his shirt. "Hey, watch it twerp." He growled.

Jim struggled to get out of his grip. "MURAT!" She said sharply.

Jim glanced over his shoulder at the same time as 'Murat' who frowned at her. She gave Jim a sympathetic look and sighed. "Let him go."

"Mari-"

"I said let him go." She repeated more firmly.

Murat looked at him and obeyed reluctantly. Jim straightened himself out. "Okay. I'll ask more politely this time. Why are you concerned about Cassandra Richardson?"

"I'd rather not answer that question." She replied curtly.

"Well are you going to tell me something which is going to at least make me less confused about what is going on here. Are you here to harm her-"

"Of course not!" She shouted almost too suddenly.

Jim regarded her with a suspicious eye. "So you're not here to hurt her. So are you here to protect her? That would mean someone hired you."

"No one hired me." She snapped.

Jim narrowed his eyes. Now this lady was definitely growing more and more suspicious at time went by. First she knew who Cassandra was, that she was here and that there was possibility that she was in danger. Knowing those things was enough to regard her with some suspicion at least. Then she didn't want to answer. That was fine, most hired guns didn't want to answer these questions in case things got traced back to their employers and they were always under strict instructions that they didn't let that happen and the simple way of going about doing that was to not answer these questions. But now she claimed no one hired her, meaning that she was here on her own accord. She could simply be lying again, after all she was a pirate but still...There was definitely something about this woman which caused Jim to not be too eager to simplify the whole matter.

"Then how do you know she was here? What are you getting out of this to protect her?" He demanded.

"Why are you so concerned?" She snapped back at him.

"Well I- Well you kno- She's ju-" He spluttered. "Well, why don't you answer me first? Since I was the one who asked first?"

"I told you I can't tell you." She replied tiredly. "Look we can't just stand around here all night. Lets get to the point. Is she safe?"

He sighed submissively. "She was captured by the Duke's men." He admitted.

"What? How?" She asked in a panicked tone.

"She wanted to hold them off, to give everyone else more time to get away but they outnumbered her and she was captured. I tried to go after them but your friend here knocked me off my transporter and now there's no way I'm going to find her again."

The woman smirked. "Says who? We know our way around here and besides I have a pretty good idea as to where she may be."

Jim raised an eyebrow and folded his arms. "Oh? So that makes everything fine. Tell me-"

"Look we can stand around here all night and shout at each other or we can actually go after them and save her."

And on that note she turned around and began walking. Murat followed suit and followed her through the trees. Jim shook his head knowing he had no say in the matter and followed after them.

"So what's your name?" He asked.

"Call me Marianne."

~ (***) ~

Cassandra came to after a few hours of being in a cold, dark dungeon where she was unable to see a thing. At first she wasn't even sure she had regained consciousness as it was pitch black. She wasn't able to see a thing. Not even her own hands. She waved her hand in front of her face to see if she could even catch a glimpse of the movement but there was nothing. She even struggled to hold up her hand as she could feel her wrists had been chained in manacles. She sighed and leaned her back against the wall. She tried to remember what happened and how she had got here. The Duke. The attack on the ship. Trying to get back. Gunfire. She had to hold them back so the others could get away. She smirked, it was just her luck the first time she actually got into any action she had been captured.

The entrance to her cell was opened with a beam of light entering the cell. She put her hand up to her face to stop it from blinding her. There was a figure standing in the door way holding a torch as he approached her.

"Are you comfortable?" A voice slurred from the entrance.

She narrowed her eyes to see whether she could tell who it was. It took until he was only a few step away to be able to read his feature. The Duke walked towards her with an annoyed but satisfied grin on his face.

"As comfortable as a prisoner can be." Cassandra replied in a sarcastic voice.

"Oh good. Now I'm presuming you know about our plans. I wonder though who it was out of all of you who was able to figure it out."

"Well you weren't too good at covering it all up really." She snapped.

The Duke grabbed her back the neck forcing nearly all the air out of her lungs. "Listen to me, you little weasel." He hissed. "I am presuming you want to get out of here alive so you better co-operate unless otherwise. So I would keep such comments to yourself if I were you."

The only other thing Cassandra was thinking about other than hoping that he would let her go was why Diana even considering consenting to marry such a man. She wasn't able to actually get a good look of the Duke to see what he looked like. It wasn't just this man's personality which repulsed Cassandra. He had olive coloured skin but it was grainy and his beard looked brittle and rough. His eyes were were a horrible, dull muddy colour and his features were too sharp and dramatic to be considered attractive. Cassandra was sure some women would find him attractive but only those who fell for the romantic, Byronic types. Ones where you knew he was a devil on sight but you still couldn't help but get all fluttered.

He released her and threw against the stone wall. "I overheard you talking to your advisers and my brother was also able to see the symbol of Orion on your fighter planes even when you tried to paint over it."

The Duke sniffed. "Can't fool a woman eh?" He murmured to himself. "Well not one such as yourself..."

"It wasn't that difficult to see through you if I'm quite honest." She retorted. "You weren't exactly subtle."

He tilted his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. "The warning to not insult unless you wanted to live didn't really seem to sink in did it? Wait a moment. You're Cassandra Richardson aren't you? Huh, well I suppose now its no surprise."

Her eyes widened slightly at him mentioning her mother. What did he know about her mother? "What's that supposed to mean?"

He chuckled. "Well let's just say I know a few things about your mother than you don't."

"I doubt that my mother would ever let someone like you get to know her very well." She spat.

"Well its not a matter of us getting to know one another but me just knowing of her reputation and knowing a few things about her that not many people do know. I could also say the same thing about your father."

Cassandra's eye twitched slightly at the mention of her father's honour and the conversation that she had with Diana long ago about the Celestrial Wars seemed to come flooding back. Cassandra tried to shake this thought about but it was impossible. There was a part of her that wanted to deny that her father would do such a thing. But there was her common sense telling her that since two people had mentioned or hinted at it now that it could no longer be denied. The question now had to be why her father would do such a thing. This was where the problem lied. Cassandra couldn't see why her father would commit such a crime. He was a good man and always would be. He had vigorously taught his children the morals which he believed a person should have whether they were a man or woman and it was the one attribute you should always keep in check. So if this was the same man they were talking about why would he do such a thing? Was he so determined for his children to be more moral than he was so they wouldn't repeat his mistakes?

"You don't know anything about my father." She snapped. "You couldn't even begin to understand a man like him."

"Really?" He replied dryly. "Because I would bet that I probably knew a lot more about your parents than you could ever know. Well, from what you've probably been told anyway. Although that is not why I am here to talk to you, the reason I am here to talk to you is to know what you know."

"You want to start another war against Celestri." She replied.

He nodded. "Yes. Is that all? Well I suppose I don't have much to worry about then." He murmured.

He got up to leave and shouted, "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?"

He sighed and turned around. "Because of what happened in the first war. Honestly."

"Because the natural minerals they found in their earth to build weapons? Celestri has become the most peaceful planet in the system they even import these minerals to other planets. They aren't a threat anymore."

The Duke turned around and looked at her. "You know what? I'm going to give you a little history lesson since you are so ignorant as to what really happened during the Celestial War. Well, it was not the minerals. In fact there aren't any its just a front. The whole thing is a front, they just claimed that because they didn't want to seem like a weak planet so no one would dare invade it. A war was declared and you know the rest what you don't know is the truth. During the war we sent men in to find these so called minerals so we could experiment with them ourselves and we found nothing. Although we did find something. We found the most expensive jewels in the universe on this planet. All produced naturally within the soil of Celestri so they were telling a white lie if anything. When this was eventually discovered people began to question the point in there being a war. It was called off and they were left alone. Now Orion is not happy about that."

"Because you want these riches? Says a lot about your _great _nation." She replied wittily. "That doesn't make sense in fact I bet you all knew all along."

"Yeah, you're right we did. We also knew Celestri wasn't exactly a weak planet either so we needed someone to back us which was Monstressor. We pulled the same trick as we almost did with you and it worked that time round." He chuckled. "Just not this time. So we're gonna have to think of a better plan. Damn!"

She shook her head. "You're insane."

He looked down at the ground then shrugged his shoulders. "It's all relative to me. Let me ask you something. You think I'm all immoral and everything but have you ever stopped to question your own father's morality?"

She shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

"The things you don't know about your parents. Boy, if you knew...It would open up your eyes wide open."

"Well unfortunately for you I'm not going to bother listening to you." She replied.

"Oh don't be like that. Don't you want to know the truth about your parents?"

"Coming from you its unlikely to be the truth." She snapped.

"Really? Are you sure about that? What if I told you that your father was commissioned to go into the forests and into certain pacifistic communities to find these 'minerals' and to find them at _all costs_."

A shiver went down her spine and she shook her head. "He would never do that. Ever."

"It sounds to me like you might have heard something like this before from someone else and ever since then you have slowly been questioning yourself along with your father."

"You don't know what you're talking about." She replied through gritted teeth.

"I think I do. More than you."

The Duke turned around knowing it was his time to go. "Well, I'll be seeing you soon. Don't worry, you're going to be very useful to me still."

"Don't hold your breath." She replied.


	36. The Kindness of Strangers

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

The Kindness of Strangers

For **kttopwriter**

They had been carrying on like this for hours now. Dragging their feet through the forest throughout the night. He was wearing thick cotton uniform and strong boots but he was beginning to feel the sting of nettles and sharp thorns scratching against his lips. Jim was beginning to wonder whether she was actually leading her to where she thought Cassandra may be, whether she was wrong or lost or perhaps this was all just a ruse and she really was working for the Duke. On some occasions she would glance over her shoulder as if to check he was still following them. He didn't understand how it turned out he was the one not to be trusted rather than the other way round but he knew better than the make a comment. Murat would copy her but instead of a cool, neutral expression there was a resentful, angered look on his face. He looked at Jim and just saw an annoying bug he wished to squish. Jim would look down but would only think if he hadn't been stupid enough to knock him off the transporter he wouldn't here and none of them would be in the situation they were reluctant to be in.

"So...Do you want to tell me where we're actually heading?" Jim huffed before tripping over a root or something.

'Marianne' rolled her eyes and offered him a hand. "The least you know the better." Was her curt answer.

Jim held onto her hand tightly and stared into her eyes. "This isn't a game." He warned.

He had enough of her being all secretive and mysterious about all this. It was a game most female pirates liked to play. Or most loose women anyway. It was usually a technique to seduce the target they had been hired to take down or bring to their clients but this woman was using it to be annoying. Although Jim was sure it was most likely to be the other most common reason, she had something to hide. Everyone in those circles had a dark past and he knew Marianne wasn't going to be an exception. He knew enough now it was something to do with Cassandra. It was obvious enough that she had a connection with her. A connection not even Jim could work out to be possible or even fathom. She was the daughter of a Space Captain for goodness sake. From a respectable family. What would they have to do with pirates?

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I know."

"So stop acting like it." He snapped.

Murat walked over to them and looked as if he was about to crush Jim's skull before Marianne signalled him not to. Murat turned away dismissively and huffed under his breath in annoyance.

Marianne raised an eyebrow. "You are really going to have to stop pushing it with him unless you want to keep your head."

"Well its not like you're not pushing my buttons either. I mean-"

Marianne observed him with a critical eye. "You really care about this girl don't you? More than you probably should considering what your job is."

Jim blushed and was hoping that the trees shadows were hiding this otherwise it would be more than obvious for her that she was right. He didn't want to give her the satisfaction of being right and knowing more about the whole picture of this situation on top of disclosing some information from him which he had every right to know about. For months, years in fact he had been hiding the fact that he was loving with a girl six years his junior without really having a good reason as to why he should be doing that. That he had been in love with her since she was a fifteen year old girl, the idea made him look at himself with disdain at first, considering it was somewhat illegal for him to even have 'innocently romantic' relations with her at the time. He had never even told his mother about her beyond the extent of mentioning in fleeting that she was the daughter of the Space Captain which helped him on his way in his career. He was sick of hiding his feelings for her. Even now, he didn't understand why Cassandra was being so difficult about all of this. Why did he had to care about what society thought about her feelings for her? He was even annoyed that he was forcing himself to hide them from a pirate. Of all people. Why should she stand there and judge him when he could be shouting out various crimes she had most likely already committed against the law.

Jim straightened up his back and stared down at her even if she was a few inches shorter than him.

"Yes." He admitted. "But what is that to you?"

"I just think you need to be reminded of what your job is that's all I'm saying. From what I've experiences caring a little bit too much about others can affect how you react in a situation. It make you irrational...Sometimes lead you to making the wrong decisions." For a moment she looked like she was speaking from experience but then she looked up with lightening in her eyes. "Perhaps this wouldn't have happened if you remembered what your job was."

He had to resist punching this woman in the face. Even if it was totally against his principles to punch a woman in the face (and this had nothing to do with the fact that his job entailed him being a defender of the peace, it had more to do with the fact he was raised by a single mother probably). And even if it earned him a quickly executed death sentence from her bodyguard. He wasn't exactly in his right mind at the moment. She had no right to say that. She had no idea, she had no understanding of the situation they were in. She didn't know what they had been thrown into. None of them could've anticipated for this to happen. She had no idea, he expected, of what Cassandra was like and her reasons for doing this. Even though Jim could easily admit to possibly being wrong about these assumptions he was sure as Hell that he was able to make a better one than Marianne.

"I know what my job is." He replied through gritted teeth. "And I certainly know what you are. So can I take this opportunity to say that the way you're behaving is completely out of character with regards to what other pirates are like."

"Meaning?"

"From _my _experience not many pirates seem to care about the welfare of others." In that moment Silver's face appeared in Jim's mind making him falter for a moment and licked his lips. "Save one."

He started to walk again until she stopped him with a hand pressed against his chest. There was a moment where they held one another's gaze intensely.

"You're going the wrong way." She said finally turning him in the right direction which made him smirk.

He chuckled. "You're a strange pirate, Marianne."

She threw back her head and laughed heartily. "Thanks."

"So I know there are a lot of things you can't tell me but is there something you can tell me."

She glanced over her shoulder. "Why so interested?"

Jim shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Just curious I guess. I mean- Whenever there's been someone in your...Occupation." He began, being mindful of his words. "There's always been a reason for you being otherwise."

"What? Being a scornful, selfish, greedy pirate?"

He nodded wordlessly. She shrugged her shoulders. "Let's just say I kind of owe her that."

They continued down the path in silence with Jim knowing that she wasn't going to specify who she was meant by 'her'.

~ (***) ~

Selina and Diana leaned over the side as they swept through space into the night. They had been up there for hours now watching their departure as they slowly moved further and further away from the place they never wanted to see again but also from their dearest friend. It was well past midnight and they shivered in their ball dresses against the cold, space wind but they knew that none of them could sleep. Not without knowing whether their friend was going to be alright or not. She could be dead for all they knew. None of them wanted to imagine the worse and they jested that with concerns to Cassandra they knew she would be able to get out of a situation such as this alive. But they couldn't help but have the images of the worse scenario possible hanging over their heads like the stars in the night sky. Unreachable and unknowable. Selina glanced upwards thinking back on the conversation she and Cassandra had about them. They were so happy then it was hard to imagine that she was in any danger. Although she couldn't help thinking about the possibility that she was already up there with them...

"Do you think they're alright?" Diana suddenly asked.

Selina raised her eyebrow. "I don't know about Captain Hawkins but I'm sure you're more than aware of Cassandra's capabilities." This made Diana giggle however there was still the worried expression hanging off her face. "She'll be fine." Selina assured her. "I promise."

Diana looked over at her and turned away from her friend and sighed. "I hope you're right." She murmured.

Selina was sure what was on Diana's mind right now. She had known both her friends, no all her friends enough that from any expression, any slight change, a look in the eye or a raise of the eyebrow and what it reflected from within the inner workings of their mind. For this whole time when something bad happened to Cassandra she blamed herself for it. Then again Cassandra had almost died last time she got in trouble. Although this still wasn't a good enough excuse for her to blame herself for what happened to Cassandra. She was now possibly under the imprisonment under a power crazy Duke who wanted to declare another war. If anyone should be blamed it should be this shady Duke. Selina didn't know or care much for politics but she knew it wasn't going to do anyone any good. No one would benefit from a war but then again she couldn't imagine how anyone could benefit from a war other than trying to protect their own homeland.

"Um, excuse me." Said a voice. They both glanced over their shoulders to see B.E.N glancing up at them with a hesitant expression on his face. "You know I just can't help but wonder...WHY WE AREN'T GOING BACK TO RESCUE THEM?"

Selina was about to answer but George who seemed to appear out of nowhere answered for them. "Captain's orders."

"Who cares? We can't just leave them!"

"Have you ever tried reasoning with Captain Hawkins?" George asked with a slight grin on his face.

The memory of Treasure Planet almost exploding and Jim's expression on his face while trying to connect the wires of some broken down ship flashed in B.E.N's mind and gave a weak laugh.

"I guess I can, um, see why you chose to follow the _Captain's _orders. Hehe." He answered before hurrying away.

George turned back to the young ladies. "How are you doing?"

"Well, all things considered." Selina muttered. She glanced at Diana knowing that she needed someone to talk to and she knew she wasn't that person. She walked up to George and before walking away whispered into her ear, "_Talk to her_."

George stared after her before turning back to Diana. "Are you alright, Diana?"

George could see from the pained, sorrowful expression on her face that he was wasting his breath. He was sure she was once again blaming herself from what may have happened to his sister. He hated seeing her like this again. After all the effort he put into trying to convince her the other time round that his sisters near death experience wasn't her fault either. She didn't even know whether his sister was alright not, so she didn't know whether she really needed to blame herself for anything that could've happened or not. If they were agonising over whether she was alive or not they truly didn't know his sister. He knew more than anything that it would take more than the circumstances they were under to kill his sister. They should've learnt that from the attack on the ship a few days ago. He was sure she would be able to get herself out of anything and considering the devotion the Captain felt towards his sister he was sure that he was going to do everything in his power to make sure she was alright.

She finally shook her head. "No George. I'm not alright."

He tilted his head sympathetically. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

She gave him a hopeless smile and turned away chuckling. "I don't think anyone can help me with this. I've told you before that I can't help but feel responsible for all this. Now I don't know whether one of my closest friends is still alive or not. If she isn't...Alive I mean you can't stop me from feeling guilty."

"No I can't. But you can't stop me from telling you otherwise. Cassandra told me everything. About how your Grandmother blackmailed you into marrying this man. Why did you tell me? Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Well surely if Cassandra told you, you can understand why I _couldn't _tell anyone." She snapped. "Anyway, you are one to talk, Mr Richardson."

He frowned. "What are you talking about?"

She smiled cynically. "I think you know what I'm talking about."

He shook his head. "I assure you I haven't slightest clue as to what you are talking about."

"Do you not remember that conversation I had with you. About your sister. The one your father adopted?" Remembrance flashed in his eyes and nodded. "Did you honestly not see anything strange in me questioning you about her?"

"Cassandra noted there was something strange in you questioning _her _about Helen."

Diana nodded. "That is because...Sir, she is my cousin."

George blinked wondering whether she heard her right. _Helen was her cousin? _His first thought was he couldn't imagine two people more different than Diana and Helen. Then he began to consider how quiet they both were. They were both incredibly quiet as well and they were both rather modest as well. He could imagine the two getting along between than Diana got along with his sister.

"What?" He whispered. "What do you mea- I don't-"

"You mentioned that Helen's mother was a woman from a wealthy family who married to a doctor named Arkwright. I wasn't sure until Cassandra told me the name of her mother and that certainly confirmed it. Which is also another reason for me to feel guilty, Mr Richardson. As I could have called off the wedding knowing my cousin was already being supported financially despite my father was still sending her money. My only question is why he didn't take her under his wing. We would've certainly accepted her."

"What about your Grandmother?" He asked solemnly.

She almost burst out laughing with tears in her eyes. "Of course! That was why. My father could only help her silently. God I ha- No I can't say that word but I don't think I shall ever see her again."

"It's not her fault that this happened Diana. Nor is it your fault." He asserted. "So there is no need for either of you to be punished."

"Are you defending my Grandmother? If it wasn't for her none of us would be in this mess. My cousin, your sister would not have been forced to be rejected by her family. Your sister would be safe and sound and-"

George stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder gently. "You can't-"

"I CAN DO AS I WISH!" She cried out suddenly making him step back and hold his hands in mock surrender.

"I- I'm sorry for my misconduct. I bid you goodnight sir."

George gaped at her as she walked away, unsure of how to call her back or what reply he could make to that. B.E.N however popped out of nowhere to render this.

"Gee all the guys around here seem to have lady problems."

~ (***) ~

Cassandra lay on the dungeon floor thinking about things she shouldn't be thinking about. Or that was what her common sense was telling her anyway. She began to wonder whether there was more to her parents than she had been led to believe. She had led a rather sheltered life after all. Her father tried his best to tell her about the ways of the world but even she was aware during these few years of private tuition that there was a level of censorship in what he taught her. But he was just doing what every father did with his daughter. He was protecting her, making sure she was innocent for as long as possible. She began to wonder whether anyone was going to save her. She had told them to set off without her but she was beginning to think that this was a bit of a mistake she glanced around in the darkness making the fair conclusion that a little assistance may be in order if she wanted to get out of here. The more she thought about this the more she realised that her old belief that she had to do everything on her own was beginning to fade away. Perhaps James had been right all along. Perhaps she did need his help, more than she realised. She was almost on the verge of tears when someone broke down the door.

She looked up to see a familiar figure standing in the door way but it was only until he walked forward and was up close to her face when she realised who it was.

"Jim." She breathed. She blinked at herself, having not called him by his nickname before but she was so relieved to see him that all sensibilities seemed to fly out the window.

"We've got to go." He said hurriedly as he unlocked the chains. She rubbed her wrists after she was released and didn't protest when he helped her to her feet.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I'm fine. I'm glad you came."

He raised an eyebrow. "I would've thought you would say that 'I thought I told you to stay on the ship' would be your first reply."

She smiled. "Yeah but you have to have a certain level of realistic assumptions of your chances of getting out of somewhere by yourself." She admitted.

He chuckled. "Well I have to admit I wasn't on my own."

Before she could ask what he meant as they walked out the cell she saw two pirates, one a huge, bald headed man and a youthful, middle-aged woman walking down the corridor.

"Come we've got to go." The woman said, for a moment she glanced at Cassandra like she was ghost as Cassandra did the same. What startled her the most was that Cassandra felt like she was looking into the mirror in twenty years time.

"Hi." She greeted quietly.

The woman simply nodded at her and pulled her down the corridor. Cassandra recognised the attire she was wearing and began to wonder how Jim was able to get the help of pirates and how he could've accepted such help. Although she knew now wasn't the time for her to ask these kind of questions and they were helping her so now wouldn't be the best of times to show any level of ungratefulness. As the daughter of a Space Captain she was expected to be against such people but then again she never really had a great agenda against them. After all, they were the ones who murdered her father or were the cause of her mothers death so she didn't have that excuse. She only thought of that considering that seemed to be the excuse for most people to have a real special hatred towards them. Other than the fact that they made it their official occupation to make a living out of crossing the law.

They ran into a transport bay where they jumped onto the first vehicle they could find. Cassandra jumped in without seeing the offered hand of the woman who instead of being offended smirked to herself.

"Like mother like daughter." The woman muttered to herself.

Cassandra frowned. "Pardon?"

The woman, still smirking, shook her head as she fired up the engine. "Nothing."


	37. The Beauty of Ambivalence

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

The Beauty of Ambivalence

For **wisterianmaiden**

The Head Advisor to the Duke of Orion nearly fell out of bed when the alarms for a prisoner escaping went off at some ungodly hour in the morning. As soon as he heard the sirens the Duke's advisor headed straight to his chambers, throwing on some respectable dress in the process, knowing he was probably going to be scolded by him for pointing out the obvious. They made sure that the sirens were loud enough to be heard from any part of the stronghold so that the advisers wouldn't have to do this but he was going to do it anyway because either way the Duke would get annoyed at him. However when he entered his rooms instead of finding him running around like a headless chicken he was watching the prisoner escape from his balcony. He looked so calm and relaxed he wasn't sure whether the Duke was fully aware of the situation. His advisor approached him cautiously, knowing that how he could react to anything he said or did could be unpredictable. He glanced up at him noticing a small smile on the nobleman's face and frowned.

_What in the galaxy did he have to be happy about? _He thought.

"My Lord?"

"Yes?" The Duke slurred.

"Are you alright?"

The Duke chuckled. "Never better."

"But, my Lord," He stuttered. "She got away."

"Precisely. Well observed as always."

"I don't understand, my Lord, why this is a good thing. I thought you intended to use her. Although I must admit I wasn't sure how she was going to be of any use to us-"

"She is of better use to us when she has escaped because everything is now going according to plan. Or back on track." He offered. "If, as I expected, she was not only her mothers but her fathers daughter, which has turned out to be the case I knew she was going to find some way of escaping. Although it looks like she had some outside help in doing so."

"But, my Lord-"

"Patience. You will find out soon enough what I have planned for her."

~ (***) ~

Once they were back under the protective shelters of the forest the sun was already beginning to rise. Cassandra was exhausted but she kept on going for the sake of her dignity. She wasn't exactly going to start playing the role of the helpless maiden even after to consenting to the need of James Hawkins help and in front of a couple of people she didn't know and wasn't sure whether she could trust. The pirate woman who introduced herself as Marianne told them that there was an inn they could stay at while they waited for what the next move could be. She glanced around the area and couldn't think why there would be one around her considering it was so dead. So far this woman and her over-sized sidekick had helped them but Cassandra still wasn't sure whether she could completely trust them. They were pirates after all. Although in her lessons she was sure now her father intended to help her become the Space Captain she wished to be one day, never entailed any form of hatred towards pirates. Whenever they were mentioned when some friends he knew in the Space force was over for dinner her father seemed a little impassive during the conversation or sometimes she almost thought she saw a ghost passing over his eyes. As if he was being haunted by some unspoken secret.

Although as if by magic a small, pleasant looking inn appeared on the side of the road. She wondered whether it was the same road she had travelled along on the same to her temporary prison and glanced at Marianne. The pirate knew what the younger woman was thinking and assured her.

"They won't find us here."

Cassandra looked a little bit sceptical. "How do you know?"

"This is off a little road. This isn't the main one you would've passed through. We're going the long way round back to the port."

"We should really be heading there now-" Cassandra reasoned but she was cut off.

"You need to rest." Marianne affirmed.

"I'm fine." She replied tiredly, instead of snapping. She was too exhausted to have an argument.

"No you're not. You're filthy and you look like you need at a bed even if it isn't a soft one to lay in for a few hours."

"What do you mean by that?" She demanded.

Marianne frowned. "Nothing."

"Really?" Cassandra replied walking quickly towards the inn.

Jim sighed and hurried after her. Her wrapped an arm around her thin shoulders which she surprisingly enough didn't object to.

"What right does she have to say such things to me? Nothing." She muttered angrily. "She doesn't know me."

"She actually came here looking for you." Jim whispered.

She looked at him with a look of surprise and confusion in her face. "What do you mean 'looking for me'? Am I-"

He shook his head. "No you're not in any danger. She's here to look after you but she won't tell me why. She even claims that no one hired her to take care of you."

Cassandra tried to speak, she tried to speak her mind but she found that she couldn't. She was unable to say anything because she didn't know what to think when it came to this whole situation. She shook her head and carried on down the path trying to think how she should make of all this. This was more than she expected from this trip. She thought that there would be more than a pool of tears and a hint of drama but nothing as colossal as this. War. Pirates. Secrets. Hidden feelings. This was something which occurred in a far-fetched romance novel, not reality. Not within her reality anyway. She tried to keep drama as far away from her life as she could possibly control. This was too much for her. This life which she had lead was becoming too much for her. She had been carrying so much all these years only to discover that there was more than she could ever imagine for her to discover. All she had intended for herself in this trip was to support her friend through her own trials not the other way round. She was so used to helping other people to find herself having to need help was disorientating, so strange it made her feel like that weak, helpless little girl again witnessing the death of her own mother where there was nothing she or anyone could do to stop it.

When they reached the inn she practically shoved the door open with such force that it swung and hit the wall.

"That doesn't even make sense." She muttered under her breath.

"Well that was what she told me." Jim replied calmly although he didn't know whether that was going help as he eyed the door she just damaged and their two companions who also looked a little worried.

"And you believe them? Jim they're pirates." She reasoned.

He looked away dismissively. "I wouldn't hold that as a reason not to trust them."

She frowned at this comment, thinking that he of all people should have something against pirates. He was a Space Captain for goodness sake. It was against his principles for him to even accept the help of a pirate let alone be able to trust one of them. Then again that wasn't exactly a reason to hate them considering what her fathers opinions were and that didn't make him any less of the honourable man she knew him to be. It made him seem more open minded than he already was, more than anything. She even felt a little bit ashamed of herself for a moment for even making such presumptions about this woman since she had actually saved her from the Duke and whatever plans he may have had for her. She shook her head and turned to the owner, a tall, silver-haired woman who still looked strong enough to hold her own against a rabble of pirates.

"What can I do for you darlings?"

"Can we have two double rooms for the night." Jim requested politely.

The woman glanced at Jim and Cassandra then at the two companions behind them and raised her eyebrows.

"I'm presuming your parents are having the other room, Duck." The woman commented looking directly at Cassandra. "I have to say you're being quite lenient leaving her alone with this young fella." She added giving Jim a wink.

Both Jim and Cassandra blushed at this. She could help but allow herself to smirk a little. If her teachers were here. Or Selina, she was sure she would've made some lewd comment if she were here. She was sure she was going to anyway when Cassandra would tell her. She always had a way of finding out about these things even when Cassandra vowed to never mention such things to her friend knowing of what may follow. The idea of actually being alone in a room, sharing a room with Captain Hawkins made her feel a little bit nervous. It was something she daydreamed about for years not knowing why the image was always planted in her mind. It was a desire she didn't wish to admit to having. She glanced at James wondering what he made of this. She had to admit she felt a little bit worried. Not because she suspected him of doing anything malicious against her virtue but the idea made her feel something which she knew she should be guilty of feeling but at the same time couldn't help but feel was just natural. Thoughts of his lips upon hers made her tingle, his arms wrapped around her with the moonlight shining over them in the darkness of the night, his hot breath on her neck. She shook her head, attempting to shake herself back into reality.

Jim couldn't help feeling like a groom on his wedding night. His palms were sweating like as soon as they walked into the room they would be committing the one act of intimacy any two people were close enough to making. In fact this whole scenario felt like he just had a private ceremony and they were here for their honeymoon and their first night together as husband and wife. If only...He smirked, as he couldn't help thinking that if that ever happened he should be happy that she wasn't beginning to take the reigns in terms of booking things, considering that was what most wives were like. Instead she was standing there almost seeming as nervous as he was, then again she had been through quite an ordeal for the past few days. Nevertheless, he knew that Cassandra would be no different. If she was going to consent to tying herself to such a thing she was at least going to take the highest amount of control as she possibly could. That was how Captain Amelia turned out. But then again Doctor Doppler was always a whimp. They glanced at Marianne who looked a little bit annoyed.

"I wouldn't worry, I was actually going to be sharing a room with my _daughter._"

Marianne looked like she was going to add, _not that it's any of your business. _But Cassandra could tell she had more sense than that.

After they had finished signing in they made their way up the stairs and Cassandra frowned when she saw Jim going down the corridor with Murat.

"Where are you going?"

"To my room." He answered slowly and in a slightly confused voice.

She stared at them all and almost laughed. "No you're not. You're staying in a room with me."

"I think it would be better-"

"Listen, first of all, I don't know you and I'm not completely willing to trust you." Cassandra began heatedly.

"Cassandra." Jim said in a weary voice but Cassandra chose to ignore him.

"Second of all I would much rather-"

"'Well thank you for saving my life, Marianne.' Is that your way of saying it? Because I have to say its a very unorthodox manner of saying the phrase."

"Look, I'm very grateful, I'm not saying that at all. I would just rather-"

"Well I don't think it would be appropriate." Marianne replied curtly.

"Since when did you think you were my mother?" Cassandra demanded.

A split second after Cassandra finished her sentence, Marianne's expression changed from parental annoyance to a look which conveyed the emotion you would feel if you had been shot in the chest. She stepped back for a moment and stared at Cassandra unable to find the right thing to say. Jim glanced up at Murat who was unsure whether he should threaten Cassandra or not on the account of her being a woman, he presumed. Jim felt a little sorry for her, despite her being all secretive and untrustworthy there was no way not a single person in the galaxy would be unable to read that expression and know what it meant for the person. He knew more than ever now that Cassandra meant more to Marianne than he could comprehend. Until she would tell him that is...Although right now he wasn't even willing to submit her to a cross-examination. He wanted to walk over to Cassandra and do what you would do to a child when they were misbehaving and slap her round the face for her behaviour. Or that was what the teachers used to do to him at school which followed by his mother marching up to the school and giving them 'a piece of her mind'. He couldn't help feeling that this exchange felt like an argument between mother and daughter.

Marianne blinked, finally finding her voice. "Fine." She made her way down the corridor exchanging keys with Jim and leading Murat silently into the room without a word and closing the door behind her.

~ (***) ~

Jim and Cassandra said nothing for a while after going into the room. They silently walked in and she sat on bed looking down at the floor. Shamefully? Or was she simply just thinking? Jim didn't seem to care at the time. He lit a candle and shut the curtains wordlessly. Not asking her whether she wanted to go to sleep or talk. She was going to sleep, rest. That was what she obviously needed and if she had some she would be able to see the sense in going to Marianne's room and apologise to her for what she had said. He wasn't going to give her any attention after her display outside. He could feel her eyes burning into his back furiously but he knew that the best way to deal with this was to not give her the satisfaction. He couldn't understand why such a loyal friend could be so spiteful and ungrateful. He was unable to see why such a free, open-minded person could be so judgemental.

Cassandra glanced down at herself realising she was still in her ball gown and sighed. _This was so stupid..._

She glanced over her shoulder feeling a little bit self-conscious about undressing in his presence but she was the one who got herself into this situation.

"Look, I'm sorr-"

"I'm not the one you should be apologising to." He replied firmly.

She got to her feet and raised her hands in mock dumbfounded-ness. "What would you have me do? Go down there an apologise to her?"

"Yes. She saved your life, she at least deserves a little gratitude."

"I am grateful."

"And you're doing a poor job of showing it then." He snapped. She shook her head and turned away as she began to pace around the room. He threw down his coat and marched over to her. "You know what your problem is?"

She laughed maliciously. "Oh but I bet you desire nothing more than to tell me."

"You're proud."

"Oh...I think I've heard this one before..." She replied with a mock-thoughtful look on her face.

Jim shook all over desiring nothing more than to take that mocking expression off her face and he knew the only way how. He grabbed her face between both his palms and bring her lips to the mercy of his own. She was so caught off guard that she had no idea what to do but comply. Her senses were tell her to push him away. But her desires overcome her senses and did more than give him consent but returned these wildly expressed affections. She dared to part her lips like a brazen woman. She could feel his tongue in her mouth tingling all the senses in her body. She tentatively touched his with her own. She drew away for a moment, slightly, kissing, biting his lower lips, feeling a little bit braver. He ran his hands through her hair, making her moan softly and ran her hands over his upper arms, massaging his muscles in response. They eventually parted, out of breath but still clinging onto one another with their foreheads pressed against one another. He kissed hers passionately and cupped her cheek his his hand.

"You did know...?" He began hesitantly.

"I heard you...When I was sleeping. In the dark I heard a voice telling me they loved me...Your voice. When you came to me when I awoke I knew it was you." She assured him with a hopeful smile.

He smiled uncertainly. "What will happen? After this is all over..?"

She buried her face in his neck, kissing in lightly but which thrilled him wildly. "Please. Let's not think of that." She whispered.

He glanced down at the low cut of her dress with his expression shaded with desire. She touched his lips hesitantly but the look in her eyes was enough to draw any man into sin...


	38. In the Foreseeable Future

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

In the Foreseeable Future

For **Arianna Mitoko**

When Cassandra awoke the recollections of the past few hours passed from mere flashes of split seconds in the mind to clear reflections and even clear recollections of sensations she had been experiencing. She could see a flash of hair whipping through the air. She could then remember a hand brushing against the smooth, muscled flesh of a Space Captains arm. Lips pressed against the neck, burring into her arms. A green dress sliding down a willowy figure. The immersion of brown strands with black locks. Arms, legs and limbs entwined together like two trees encircling one another but still barely touching, like a cluster of stars merging together.

She didn't allow herself to become too intimate with him. She allowed him to be a part of her and vice versa, she allowed him a glimpse into her soul but she wouldn't let him enter it. She didn't see any objections to it but she couldn't allow him to take that from her. Not yet anyway. She was going to give herself that much respect. If she was going to allow herself to have this, to have something which can be selfish as it was generous she was going to at least stop herself from doing something stupid like throwing something like that away flippantly. She knew she loved him now more than ever but she...

She couldn't bring herself to do that. Just the thought of it intoxicated her but the idea of it also frightened her. She was never used to being frightened. She was always used to jumping not taking tentative steps forward. It wasn't because they weren't married but because she was afraid. She was afraid of giving too much of herself to him too quickly. She had heard the horror stories of young women of her station doing so and having their families hastily arranging a marriage or if not having to find their own way in the world but always being looked down upon. She wasn't afraid of that but she still wanted her freedom if not for a little bit longer...

She wanted this to be something which would last. It sounded like a fairy tale concept but when she thought of the journey she and James made together from the point of when they first met to now it seemed the impossible or improbable became such a surreal distortion of reality and she was afraid of letting that slip through her fingers but her doing something stupid. She didn't want him to see her as something cheap and someone who would give away something so precious so impulsively. Most importantly, she didn't want to think of herself as someone like that either.

Most thought that love could only last for a moment or only a lifetime. She was once one of those people who thought that way about love but then it took her till now that she could have something she remembered her parents having. It was something that they displayed every day in the shortest of moments, in the tiniest of ways. They gave so little when the other knew that they meant so much by it and she wanted that but she knew the only way she was going to be able to have that was to not give too much too soon. Otherwise all of that will be gone too quickly and there would be nothing left.

As for eternity her parents were now sharing that together. They began their eternity together long ago, unfortunately it required for her father to leave them. She could remember the sensation of having not only another body but another soul connecting with your own in ways you could never imaged possible. The last time she actually felt that way was when she was a child and on some nights she would wonder out into the gardens rest under the shelter of the trees and stare up at the stars. She would feel as if there was some sort of unity not just between her but with everyone in the universe. With every particle, it was part of her.

She could remember kissing James again more passionately than the first or even the second. She soon began to lose count of how many times she had kissed him. The number of times she whispered the almost insignificantly short but informative three letter sentence in the history of language. It was amazing who simplistic in comparison to the vastness of its meaning. All she could think about was how tightly they held onto one another. The intensity of the heat upon his breath passing into hers. She no longer was able to remember who she was because it was just her and James and then just James and her. They became so immersed within one another that...

After that, the concept of who she was didn't seem to matter anymore. All those things about individuality which had been asserted for centuries went out the window for what would seem like a small amount of time compared to the amount of time it had been lectured for. But even those few hours could be considered more significant in her life than all those centuries of discussion. She had been striving for her sense of self for so long that it didn't seem to matter anymore, all that drive for her to find who she was, what she was supposed to do with her life, who she was going to be...

It was all gone in an instant.

All those questions, all those anxieties disappeared. She didn't have to worry about any of those things. Not for now anyway. She knew in a few days time, or even in a few weeks she would be worrying about them as much as she had been before for the past few months. But there was going to be something different next time round. She was going to know that she wasn't going to be alone. Even though they might have some troubles along the way because of their relationship she at least knew now that it was okay to have someone hold your hand through these trials and tribulations. She had someone to be there for her as she had been there for so many others when they needed her.

She felt Jim snake an arm around her waist and draw her closer to him. She continued staring through the small crack in the curtain wondering if when she would leave this room she would be able to continue this. Or whether all they had could be contained in this room and then could only continue living their lives as they had done. Whether this could be something which would be able to survive out in the real world. Something like this was so delicate and the world was so raw, so harsh. She was just so afraid that this would break.

Jim kissed her neck. "Are you awake?"

She smiled to herself. "You're making it a little difficult to fall asleep."

He chuckled. "Sorry. You know us men..."

Cassandra looked over at him with a serious expression on her face but there was still a ghost of a smile on her face which she simply couldn't resist. He could be adorable but unfortunately when he was adorable at the same time he was also annoyingly pathetic and he knew it. Men did it because they think its charming when it simply isn't. Sometimes she wondered why women gave men the time of day and it was comments like these which caused that thought to run through her mind. She decided that if was going to behave like a pathetic, over-grown child she would treat him like one.

She reached over her shoulder and brushed her fingers through his hair. "Awww, you poor man. At the mercy of your biological impulses and my natural attraction."

He frowned. "Is it just me or did that sound a little condescending?" He demanded tickling her. She threw back her head and laughed.

She loved the fact that it had worked. That he had taken the bait and that she had caught him. It was like a dance, being in love or relationship or whatever it was that people called it when they were with another person. You had to keep them on their toes, to keep everything interesting otherwise men would go to women like Selina's mother. She felt ashamed to be thinking something like that but...That was how it was.

"No." She protested.

He leaned in so close they were touching noses. "Really? Because it really did sound condescending."

"Are you sure you're using that word in the right context?" She teased.

He nodded with a smirk on his face. "I'm pretty sure."

She giggled and raised out to touch his face. His skin tingled against her soft, gentle touch and smiled down affectionately in response. She was only dressed in her petticoat which with being snow white and its frills made her seem almost child-like. He could tell she was nervous. She had never been with a man before. Not because she was, like Diana Firestone, a shy girl but because unlike Selina Gondola not a flirtatious, promiscuous woman. Not that he had ever judged women on that account but it allowed him to have a level of respect for her.

"Did you ever think that it would come to this?" He murmured.

She smiled and looked away. "I...I never really-" She paused. "No. I did think about it." She chuckled. "Of course I thought about it. I always thought about I just didn't want to. I wanted...I wanted my life to go in a certain order."

"Leave the Finishing school. Graduate from the Academy. Have a career. Then perhaps love." He answered. He glanced at her for a moment. "Then have children if you wanted."

She laughed and nodded. "Yes. Although I don't exactly share the same views upon...The rules of relationships with neither Selina nor Diana. If it were on a scale between traditional and radical-"

She didn't know what she was trying to prove, that she knew more about relationships than she actually did or that she hadn't been completely and utterly enthralled by this new, little development that her logic, views and sense of self hadn't been completely cut off by all this. She didn't understand and in fact he probably wouldn't be able to understand why she was still trying to assert this. Both of them knew who she was and he was never going to take that from her.

"Selina would be on one end and Diana the other." Jim commented.

She smirked and nodded. "And I would be...Somewhere in the middle."

He tilted his head. "I suppose that's something I've always liked about you."

She mimicked him and smiled. "What do you mean?"

She was always used to men complimenting her at balls she had to attend or dinners her brother arranged in hope of her finding a husband and then again Jim also complimented her a lot it just took her a while to see the _actual _reasoning behind it and it not simply being because he wanted to tease her as a brother would tease his younger sister. Well they certainly weren't behaving as if they were siblings anyway...

He shrugged his shoulders. "You just accept people for what they are. You don't judge them for the way they wish to live their life. For what they are. You're...free from that sort of them. Although I was beginning to think that you were kind falling by the wayside recently."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I've- After what's happened for the past few weeks, days even I don't know what it is I'm supposed to do or what I'm supposed to be-"

"But you know that, Cassandra it's just that your plan isn't following the pattern you wanted it to. Life isn't like that. Things don't go according to plan, some people don't even get to fulfil their dreams but...I know one day you're going to be happy."

She smiled faintly and blinked up at him. "How do you know?"

He was silent for so long she thought he would never answer her. She beginning to wonder whether he had any clue of who he was and what he was going to do after all of this was over. She wasn't sure now where her life was going to go after this. James' situation was a little different to hers considering he was already where she wanted to be in the foreseeable future. However she was sure that a few things in his life or what he had planned had changed now because of her. Not that he came across as the the sort of person who ever really had a plan...

"Well you're so self willed you could probably successfully threaten the head of the Academy and get away with it."

She laughed. "Don't worry I'm planning to apply and graduate under legitimate circumstances."

"Good."

She giggled to herself and stared up at the ceiling. She never thought she would be able to love someone so intensely and with such loyalty after the death of her mother or after the dis-ownership of Helen. The last time they saw one another they practically said their goodbyes, she just hoped that she would be able to have the chance to take that back. She knew that Helen would be able to forgive her but the problem was whether she was going to be able to forgive herself. It would be easy to get Helen to forgive her which made the guilt sting even more. She could forgive anybody to the point of someone being able to manipulate her.

Jim saw the troubled expression on her face and tickled her neck. "What is it?"

She shook her head and buried her face in the pillow. "Its nothing." She glanced up and saw the look on his face and gave him. "It's Helen."

He raised his eyebrows. "Ah...Yeah I know the last time you saw her didn't go...Too well."

"I practically threw her out the door." She replied.

He touched her hand and gripped it tightly. "Everything will be alright again. You'll see."

She sighed. "I hope so."

**A/N: **I'm baaaaaaaaack. Hehe, sorry for the long wait the exams are finally over! Yay! Anyway I thought I might treat you all to some good old romantic fluff from OCs which we all hate to admit that we love so much.

Anyway other announcements urrr...I have a new poll up for Selina as in who would be appropriate to voice her and I am planning to put one up for Helen (since I shocking remembered that I had forgotten to even consider doing one for her) and I might do one for George and Cassandra's father Xaiver since he is a reasonably significant character in the early chapters of this story and hopefully I will be able to have some results or complete all those polls by the end of this story.

So guys please, please, please vote and quickly too it won't take long and its just on my profile too. Um, I suppose I will tell you that this story is actually less than ten chapters away from completion and before you start bombarding me with demands to not finish the story so soon the reason is because there is going to be a sequel and it was intended that way also so this isn't the end of Cassandra and Jim just the end of this part of it.

Anyway, hopefully I will update soon and see you guys later! **R & R!**


	39. Promises

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

Promises

For **Music and things**

Marianne closed the door quietly and locked the door behind them. She didn't want anyone walking in on them and if they had been detected locking the door was a good way to stall the authorities so they could have enough time to get out the window. She stood there for a while, as if any second Cassandra would come to the door and come to apologise or tell her something. She had made many sacrifices coming here. She had given up so much for Cassandra only so that she would never know the truth. She was better off not knowing the truth but now she wasn't so sure it was always going to stay that way.

If anyone in the authorities of either Montressor or Orion knew that she was here she would have a lot to answer for. Also she had been on the run from the law since the war ended. Even though she had done a lot for Montressor she had broken a great deal of laws in order to do so. There was no easy way of fighting a war. She was still haunted by the things she had done. Sometimes those plans didn't always go according to plan. Even Xavier knew that. In fact he knew it better than anyone. Maybe that was why he was able to help her through it, because he knew what it was like to try to do good when all it came to was making even more of mess than there already was...

"Marianne?"

She turned round and tried to give Murat a reassuring smile. "Yeah?"

He stared at her for a moment trying to find the right word. She stood there patiently as she waited for him to finish. She always had to be patient with him in everything and having to put up this for all these years it was safe to say that she was able to wait for half an hour if need be. That was how used she was to the slow pace of his mental processes. He wasn't the brightest bulb in the closest but...He was her brother after all. She loved him. It was her job to look after him. After all there was no one else to do it for her. He had given that job years ago and she couldn't see him coming back to take that role off her hands considering how quickly he ran away from it...

"You don't look so good." He hesitated, trying find a better way of phrasing it. "You don't look happy."

"I'm fine." She replied quietly.

"It is because of what that girl said to you? Because I don't think it was very nice the things she was saying to you either."

She took his hand and held it for a while. It was so warm. She would sometimes place her hand on his to compare the size of her hand against his and she always felt like a little child in terms of size but then again when it came to who was more mentally incompetent. She looked up at him and was about to explain everything. She opened her mouth but no words were being articulated. How was she to tell him? How was she to explain? How was she to make sure he wouldn't say anything to Cassandra? She had to at least give Xavier that, even if he was dead. Just so that he could understand, but she knew better than to do something like that and patted it.

"I know. But its fine."

"But you don't look fine, Marie." He insisted.

"MURAT WILL YOU JUS-!" She screamed, she stopped herself when she saw the look on his face. She shook her head and blinked away her tears. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted at you."

He looked down at the ground, obviously upset but feeling more guilty about making her angry. "I didn't mean to make you mad."

"You didn't. I'm just tired. I think I might go to sleep."

Murat nodded his head dumbly and walked towards his own bed. She watched him sadly, hating how obedient he could be. He would jump off a cliff if she asked him. He fell onto it making the floorboards creek a little. She rolled her eyes knowing that he didn't have a weight problem but that it was just the oldness of the building. She sat down on her bed, not falling so suddenly as he did and took in a deep breath before lying down. Maybe she shouldn't have brought him with her. She could have left him behind. She would have been able to deal with this alone. This was something that she had to do herself.

It would have been better if she had left him behind. But then again she always had this constant fear that the moment she left him with someone or left him unattended that he would instantly get into trouble. That was the problem with being the older sister to a knuckle head. You are always constantly worrying about them doing something stupid. Plus, he wanted to come and once he started to insist it became increasingly difficult to say no to him without making more of a fuss. So she brought him along. She was probably going to regret it once something went wrong. She could definitely feel that in her bones. It would only be a matter of time before things got worse.

She rested her head against the soft bed and tried to sleep. No dreams came but she knew if she did sleep there would only be memories which came in the guise of nightmares who would visit her. All she could think about was _her_. She was just a few doors down from her when her whole life her aim was to stay as far away from her as possible. That was the agreement. That was the one thing she had promised but now that Xavier was dead...She supposed she could bend the rules a little. She was a pirate after all and things were different now. She would be causing more damage staying far away than doing otherwise.

She couldn't believe she had grown up so quickly. Her hair. Those eyes. Her face. It was all...It was all so real. She couldn't believe that she had ended up...Then again it had been eighteen years since she last saw her. She was a little newborn babe the last time she saw her, held her. Maybe it was the shock from the last memory she had of her which made it seem like time flew too quickly for you to catch it. She couldn't believe how much she looked like...She didn't really imagine her being so...

She thought she would be more like her father. She hoped that she would be more like her father than her mother. It would be better for her that way. She couldn't imagine someone with that temperament being able to withstand the sort of life Xavier Richardson would be able to provide for her. Even though she didn't know it there was a lot that had been given up for her. Marianne could make it very easy for herself and march down to her room and tell her why she shouldn't have spoken to her like that. But she promised. That would be the worst promise for her to break.

"_She can't know."_

"_I know."_

_There was a moment of hesitation in his voice. "Are you sure?"_

"_You have a wife, Xavier. It could never be. You would be deceiving them if you carried on-"_

"_I already am."_

"_Don't let it be her fault though."_

_He chuckled sadly. "At least she will have her mother's spirit. At least that will always be present in my life."_

"_Will...Will I ever be able to see her?" She paused. "She-She may want to know...She might..."_

"_No." His voice was determined but regretful. "It will better for her if she never knows of this. It will...It will be too much for her even you're giving her to me for the sake of her having a better life. If she was to know she was part of another...It would be too much for her."_

"_...You're right. It would be too much for her. She deserves more than that..."_

"Marie?"

Marianne woke up with Murat's face looming over hers. She blinked and sat up after he have her some space. He rubbed her back reassuringly.

"You were talking. You sounded sad." He explained.

She nodded. "I know."

"Was it because of Cassandra?"

"Yes." She admitted after a moments hesitation.

"She means a lot to you, doesn't she?" He asked innocently.

She smiled tiredly. "Yes. You have no idea."

He frowned and licked his lips before asking, "Why?"

She tried not to cry. She had to do her best not to cry. "I think...I think I should not talk about that, Murat."

"I will understand." He replied.

She sighed. "I know you will. But I made a promise. You know like the promises you make to me well I made a promise to someone long ago not to talk about it to anyone. So I can't because we can't break promises."

"Okay." He replied reluctantly.

She touched his hand. "Hey. Don't be upset. You did nothing wrong."

"I know I do a lot of silly...things...I know I...don't always understand..."

She gripped him by the shoulder and shook his head. "I think you understand more than you realise. You know what a promise is don't you?"

He smiled a little. "What is a promise worth to a pirate?" He replied rather wittily.

She raised her eyebrow. "Well said."

He giggled to himself being very proud of the joke he had made. "If I can though...I will tell you."

He looked a little shocked now. "You would break a promise?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Once it was okay. Perhaps when I can...talk to him again."

"You don't need to break a promise for me, Marie. Its fine." He said grabbing her hand with a panicky look in his eyes. "It's okay."

"Shhhh." She could tell when he got upset or when he was about to get overly upset which usually included breaking windows and throwing furniture about the room. It made it rather difficult being able to stay in a rented room for the night.

"It's okay. It's fine." He nodded looking more upset than reassured. She sighed again and wrapped her arms around him. He grabbed onto her arm and rested his head in her lap. "It's okay."

"Is everything okay?" He whispered.

"Everything's okay."

"Alright." He replied weakly.

She pressed her cheek against the top of her head and began to shake. Cassandra was never to be part of this world. She was never to be part of this life. She deserved more than this. Even though she didn't realise it...

**A/N: REMEMBER R&R! AND VOTE ON THE POLL!**


	40. The Art of Marriage

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

The Art of Marriage

For **magnoliastar08**

That evening Jim and Cassandra emerged out the room and went downstairs for dinner after changing back into their clothes except for Cassandra of course who found a plain, black dress to wear in the wardrobe. She looked up and down the corridor before she walked out which made Jim chuckle. She hadn't done anything that incriminating but she was still worried with being seen. As they walked down the stairs Jim reached out to hold her hand but then thought better of it in case Marianne saw them.

She seemed pretty worried that the two would be in a relationship even when it was speculated upon hypothetically so it was safe to say that she probably would hate it even more if she found out that the likelihood of a relationship between the two them wasn't confined to theoretical realms. He didn't understand what her problem was and why she felt such a thing concerned her but nonetheless he knew better than to aggravate a pirate and it was only going to be for a little while. However he did risk a swift, warm brush of the fingers against the side of her hand.

Her body tingled against this brief touch and glanced over her shoulder. She smiled a little, gingerly when Jim leaned forward a little closer to see her reaction to his touch. He smirked at her with a seductive twinkle in his eye. She blushed and quickly turned away. He chuckled at her sudden shyness, he remembered when he was training there were a few drunken kisses at the tavern on some nights with other cadets but she had never even held a man's hand other than her father or brothers before today.

As she walked down the foot of the stairs she felt as if all the eyes in the room were burning into her. She could feel the landlady staring at her, thinking and knowing of what she had done in the room with Captain Hawkins. Why had she gone back to thinking so formally about him? She looked over her shoulder and smiled weakly at him. He could tell from this look that she was nervous about something and frowned. Why was she suddenly so afraid?

She smiled to herself reassuring but as soon as she knew he couldn't see her again she dropped the smile. She glanced over at the landlady who nodded to her with a solemn look on her face. She felt like she could read her mind and she knew of the turmoil that was running through her thoughts. Although she was afraid that she might be thinking something else. She was frightened that she might still be thinking that they were a young married couple and the expression on Cassandra's face signified a hint of conflict and reconsideration of her actions. In some ways that woman was right.

Cassandra wasn't entirely sure that she had done the right thing. How could she know at her age? She was only eighteen. She was barely old enough to know what to do with her life. She rubbed her eyes. She couldn't believe she was bringing herself back to this place again. She knew what she wanted, like Jim said the plan that she had set out for herself just wasn't following in the order that she would prefer. How could she expect him to wait that long?

Jim rubbed her back and leaned close to her ear. "Are you alright?" He whispered.

She shivered against the warmth of his voice brushed against her neck. She felt that little tingling of desire rising up in her body and nodded stiffly.

"Yes." She said quietly.

Before he could say anything else the landlady came up to them again and smiled accommodatingly.

"Would you like a table, loves?"

"Yes, thank you." Jim said and followed her to a spare table with his hand resting against Cassandra's back as he guiding her through the room. She felt more grateful than annoyed that he was pushing her gently since she felt so light-headed she felt like she would be unable to function without proper guidence.

"Are your parent's joining you?" The woman asked Cassandra who nodded silently.

Jim and Cassandra sat on one side of the table and Cassandra gave him a look to order for her. She waited patiently for the woman to leave after Jim had made some small talk with her mentioning that his mother ran an inn herself which evidently impressed the woman and led to a five minute conversation. Cassandra was crossed with being annoyed but also grateful for this intervention so that she could have time to collect her thoughts but she also wanted this woman gone.

After she was out of ear shot Jim turned to her and took her hand. "Okay, tell me what's wrong?"

She took in a deep breath and glanced around in the darkness at the other customers. Some glanced up to look at her while others were more concerned with the conversations they were having with their companions or like her just wanted to be left alone.

She looked down at the table and shook her head dismissively. "I...I'd rather not talk about it here."

"Well when are you going to talk about it?" He asked gently.

"I don't know." She answered in a desperate voice. She looked around in panic and wiped away the tears before they could escape from her eyes. "I just feel like everyone is staring at me."

He chuckled. "Just because you're so pretty."

She turned back to him with a serious look on her face. "Don't tease me."

"I'm not teasing also lets face people our age are mostly here for one reason."

"Elopement." She answered for him.

"Well we know that's not the reason we're here, now do we?" He reasoned. "Besides when we do marry I was hoping that we wouldn't have to be sneaking around like this."

She began to laugh herself. "God, you're talking about getting married now."

"I thought you were the one who always like to have a plan."

"And you're the one who always likes to make it up as you go along." She returned with a smile.

He looked away with a shy smile on his face. She tilted her head and took his chin and kissed him on the cheek in the same manner a wife would kiss her husband to comfort him.

He glanced out the corner of his eye and smiled. "You're acting incredibly wife-ish."

"You're behaving like a child...So in other words like a husband annoyed with his wife." She chided.

He laughed. "How does that work out?"

She looked up as if she was thinking deeply about this question. "Well let me see," She began. "You're being all broody but at the same time a little frustrated but you don't want to show it so you try to comfort me in the best way you can. Sometimes that involves teasing me but in the end you find yourself being in more conflict than I am. Hence why I have to kiss you because then that makes all the boo boos go away. You see its easier for a woman to comfort her husband rather than the other way round." She paused. "And it might have something to do with the fact that I love you."

He blinked. "What?"

She giggled as she was quite proud of the fact that she was able to dumbfound him with all those things she had made up. Or had she? She may have not remembered her parents marriage as clearly as she once did but she remembered the happy times. She remembered how affectionate they were with one another. Perhaps she could remember more lessons that she had learnt from her parents marriage just by watching them than they realised.

But the more she looked at Jim the more she thought that it was something else that she had said. Did she hurt his feelings at some point during that speech? Was she being too critical of him? Did she make him think that she really didn't love him? Was it something to do with the fact that she implied that he could never comfort her? She took his hand and brushed her fingers against his gently.

"Oh my love I'm sorry." She whispered.

He frowned. "For what?"

"For hurting your feelings."

He smirked slightly but his eyes were somewhere between either sad or incredibly and utterly happy.

"How could you have hurt my feelings? You just said you loved me and I never thought you would ever admit that anybody let alone so soon..."

She looked at him, trying to read his thoughts from the expression on his face. No one had ever said that to him. She could imagine how hard that must feel being at the age that he was. She could remember all those years ago when he was training to be a Space Captain that he mentioned a father that had walked out on him and his mother. She could only imagine the pain of being left by someone who chose to leave oppose to someone who had no choice in the matter. She could imagine that could lead you to questioning whether it was your fault more than which direction to point the finger.

She placed her hand against his cheek and tilted his chin so that he was looking at her. "Well its the truth."

He chuckled. "Really?"

She held his hands in hers knowing this time she had to be the one to take his hand now. "Jim, when you and I first met I was..."

"Just a child." He added on a comical note.

"I was very sad. I wanted to blame anyone for the death of my mother not knowing that it wasn't a case of having to blame someone but to just accept it. It took until I met Helen to realise that. I had to accept it not to find someone to blame. I to let it go."

"What has this got to do with the first time we met?"

She raised her eyebrows. "First darling, you have to be patient. I am getting to the point." She paused. "When I met you you gave me that sign of empathy no one had showed me. You told me that it must be lonely and it was. Whereas Helen taught me the harder lesson of love was that you had to let them go when it was time for them to leave but that there was still that hope that they will always be with you and that will see them again. But instead of holding their hand tightly you have to share that relationship with an open palm.

'So really you both taught me two very important lessons. You taught me something which has taken me ages to figure that being lonely makes it very difficult to get through life. Its makes your life very dull and pointless. Helen taught me that if you truly love someone you have to have the generosity to let them go...and that you have to stop punishing yourself whether it was their fault for leaving or not."

"Well in my case-"

"It wasn't." She interjected. "It was his fault, James. Not yours. He could have chosen to look after his wife and child. He could have chosen to do the hard but responsible thing to do and stay. But he chose the cowards way out when someone realises they have a hard job to do and that is his fault not yours. It took me a long time to realise that I was worth someone without having someone to tell me so please don't let yourself think your worth something because of me. I have to say your father...He's such a fool for walking out on you."

"Why?"

"Because he got to miss out on seeing his son grow up to be better man than either of them could imagine. But it turns out that you turned out better than that, Jim. You turned out to be a thousand times better man that he could ever be."

He shook his head. "You didn't know him."

"I think I know I enough about a man who walks out on his son and child."

He raised his eyebrow with a cynical look on his face but inside he could feel all those anxieties beginning to break away. All these years, and he knew this deep down, that he was still carrying all that guilt of his father leaving him and his mother. He did on more occasions than not hold onto the belief that he had something to do with the fact that his father left him and his mother rather than just the life they were living. His mother had told him over and over again that it wasn't his fault but it was never able to erase that guilt. He needed to hear it from someone else. Someone who wasn't holding onto any anger or guilt herself that was a result of the same incident.

"Well...Most people would tell you you wouldn't...But I think I know better than to say that to you."

She tilted her head exaggeratedly. "See? We're not so bad at pretend marriage."

"No I suppose not."

She saw that he still looked a little uncertain and still undeniably sad. "I know what it feels like to lose someone but I don't know how it feels to have someone leave you by choice. So I can't lecture you on how you're supposed to feel, even though technically I just did but the point is...You're going to get through this. One day you're going to realise that its not worth wasting your life playing the game of 'if', 'buts' and 'maybes'. You're not going to wake up one morning and find that its gone. It's a lot less...cleaner than that, getting rid of all that turmoil is messy but you have to absolutely trust me when I say this but it is going to get better."

He looked at her hopelessly. "What if it never goes away?"

She shook her head. "Then I would only ask why you would hold onto something like that?"

"Maybe because there's not way of getting rid of that guilt."

"He-" She stopped herself before contradicting what she said before and hesitated. "There's no point feeling guilty for the actions of another person when you yourself know that we can only responsible for what we do not for what your father did. He walked out not you. He made the choice for himself not you."

He frowned. "Why are you so determined to talk about my problems and not yours?"

Because she was trying to avoid the subject of her problems. That would be the honest answer but not what would be the complete and utter truth of the matter. She also saw that there were a lot of problems he was having with his childhood which he never had the chance to talk to someone about. Or if he had done he hadn't had the chance to hear what he needed to hear. Perhaps he had been given compliments or condolences but he had never heard the words 'It's not your fault' because they already expected him to know that. Or they felt from their comforting words he would be able to figure that out himself. But those were words which needed to be said aloud.

She laughed. "Perhaps because you've helped me so much, even when I didn't want it and I just want to show that I'm here for you too. You've spent so much time and energy trying to hammer down the fact that you care about me enough to want to deal with my monumental problems. Persistently may I add when most people would give up and I just...Want you to know that I care about you. Love you even. I might as well throw that out there since I've already said it."

He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously. "Do you have a phobia of using the 'L' word?"

She gave his a sour look then considered it. "Yes." She admitted.

"Really? I wonder why that is."

"Because its a cliché." She replied sarcastically.

"Cassie we're in a serious conversation I think we should keep the sarcastic comments to a minimum."

"Sorry." She replied, even though she didn't look the least bit apologetic. "Okay...Alright, its because its always been associated with the cliché. Its been romanticized and overly used and I wish I could have another way of saying that...I love you."

"But its the simplest, plainest way of putting it."

She blinked. "What's your point?"

"Well that's you written all over."

She wasn't sure whether to be insulted by this or try to unpick it for some hidden meaning. Men were always saying these sorts of things in love letters or to a woman which seemed to be an insult but meant something else completely. That seemed to be what Jim did a lot with her, which she now realised was to tell her or hint at something more. He was always saying things which meant one thing to one person and another thing for her. But she was mostly able to tell from the way he said these things to her but right now it seemed to be ambiguous in terms of what he may mean by saying this.

"Thanks I'm plain and simple."

He shook his head. "I'm not saying that in a bad way. You're the most honest person I've ever met, sometimes to the point of being insulting. But I find that kind of refreshing. Also you're not materialistic and you like things that are real. You're an incredibly free person who doesn't allow stereotypes, other peoples opinions or prejudices to hinder your own perspective. That's what I mean."

She stared at him silently and smiled a little shyly. "That's the nicest thing I ever expected for someone to say to me."

He raised an eyebrow. "You were insulted at first."

"Then you explain what you meant...I never thought I would be lucky enough for someone to love me enough to say true things to me. Rather than saying that you're as beautiful as the sun. Or something cliched as that."

"Well I am going to have to make a mental note of there being no clichés." He said pretending to scribble this note down on a piece of paper.

"Otherwise you will be out the door." They both laughed and he took both her hands. He leaned forward to kiss her until he was interrupted by the landlady bringing them their drinks.

"There you go, lovies."

"Thank you." Jim replied.

"Thank you." Cassandra added politely before the woman left.

Jim watched the woman before turning back to her obviously annoyed by the interruption. She smiled at his disappointment knowing that a woman could always benefit from keeping a man on a short lead. Cassandra eyed the two mugs with suspicion. She knew Jim loved her but he was always one for practical pranks. He was a man after all. Men were still tricking people as if they were ten years old way past the age of thirty so she couldn't imagine Jim had grown out of this habit whether he was a Space Captain or not. Whether or not his job entailed enforcing the law across the universe.

"What did you order for us?" She asked nervously.

He chuckled. "Something that will put hair on your chest. Well...I hope not. I really would prefer you without hair on your chest but I would love you nonetheless."

Cassandra took a tentative sip and almost spat it out but wanted to look brave and took a huge gulp sending a burning sensation down her throat making her cough uncontrollably.

"Oh Sweetie you don't take a real swig of it the first time you drink it." He laughed sympathetically.

"That really burns." She gagged.

"Well it will."

She looked at him sourly. "I bet you're finding this all hilarious."

"Oh no...A little bit." He laughed.

"It's not funny." She moaned.

"You have to admit its a little bit funny."

"Only a little bit." She reasoned.

"There we go. A compromise."

"Another art we have mastered in the skills of marriage."

He chuckled. "I'd like to see what we would be like at _real _marriage."

She nodded with her smile dimming a little. "One day."


	41. No Turning Back

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

No Turning Back

For **luna-proeliator**

Marianne was looking at the window looking up at the stars when the though occurred to her. She watched the stars a lot and wondered whether Cassandra did too. Sometimes when she was looking up at the stars she was wondering whether she was watching them at the same time to her and they would act like a bridge between the two of them, even though they were on the other side of the galaxy they could still be connected. But when she looked up sometimes she was wonder whether someone was watching and being mindful of her rather than the other way round.

She thought about how Xavier could still be watching over her and no matter what she did he would always know that she had broken her promise. She remembered making her promise under starry skies. The last thing she could remember on the night which sealed and tied the connection with Xavier and Cassandra was looking up at a cluster of stars. Then again even though he would know there would be nothing he could do about it.

When there was such a conflict between two people the biggest problem with coming to a compromise or an agreement was that none of the two were able to fully understand the experiences or the feelings of the other person simply because it was impossible to be inside the head of the other person all the time. But now it might be so bad when he was watching her every move. Maybe she would not feel so guilty because perhaps he could understand why she was doing this.

Just before she was about to decide to go to their room Marianne saw something rustling in the darkness of the woods. Other times she would have dismissed it and thought it was just the wind but there was a sharp spark which sliced through the air which made her think twice before making presumptions. She narrowed her eyes and leaned closer towards the window and her eyes widened when she saw shadows approaching the inn. Yet again, most people would think this was no reason to panic but when she saw the symbol of Orion which the Duke always had his men bare upon them she knew it was no coincidence that they were here.

She rushed over to Murat and grabbed him by the hand. "We have to go."

"Why? What's wrong Marie?"

"The Dukes men are here we have to go." She hissed as she ran out the room. She ran down the corridor and banged on the door.

"Hawkins! Cassandra!" She cried as loudly as she could without causing a disturbance.

She waited for as long as she could until she realised that they weren't in their room and slowly turned in the direction of stairs with a look on horror on her face. She swiftly ran towards the stairs and raced down them and leaned over the banister and scanned the room. It was so dark that was difficult to tell whether they were there are not. There were so many couples nestled in one another in dark corners that it was difficult to tell who was who.

Her eyes darted in the direction of the sound of a door opening abruptly and a squad of soldiers marched into the inn.

The innkeeper looked a little concerned as she approached the counter. "What can I do for you gents?"

"Madam we wish to search the premises as we believe some fugitives may be hiding here."

"No one shady's been coming in here last time I checked." She replied defensively.

"We know you wouldn't allow a fugitive to seek sanctuary knowingly, Miss. We simply wish to check if they are here. Although, if you did perhaps know we may not have to cause you any trouble if you can point us in the right direction. We may even pay you handsomely for your information."

The landlady glanced towards the stairs as if she knew that it was Marianne and the others who were the fugitives and turned back to them.

Marianne reached to gun in her side and slowly pulled it out. "How many did you say there were?"

"A couple. A man in his early to mid twenties, brown hair, blue eyes, six foot tall, medium build and a young woman no older than twenty with black hair, green eyes and a pale complexion. Did anyone of that description come in?"

Marianne gently placed her finger on the trigger and backed into the shadows as she aimed. She watched the woman consider this.

"There was someone who came in that fitted that description." She replied in a hushed tone. "They're not in their room though."

"Point them out to me."

The landlady turned to the dining area and walked out from behind the counter casually and walked closer and looked around. A frown appeared on her face which suddenly turned into panic.

"What is it?" The man hissed.

Her eyes darted about the room. "They were here a moment ago."

The man pulled out a gun and pressed it into the landlady's jaw. "You better tell me, right now, otherwise you're getting a bullet-"

Marianne fired shooting the man in the neck. He cried out and pressed his hand against the wound although lost so much blood in a matter of seconds and died as a result.

The rest of his men fired in the direction the shot came from and after a while stopped and waited in silence for any sign of movement.

Marianne jumped to her feet and fired, alongside Murat at the rest of the men remaining until all of them were dead. They walked down the stairs into the dining area ignoring the shivering landlady.

"Where did they go?" Murat asked.

Marianne was about to reply until she caught a door near the kitchens left opened and smiled. "Just got away in time."

~ (***) ~

Cassandra held onto Jim's hand as they dragging their legs through the forest as quickly as they could. She occasionally looked over her shoulder to check if they had been followed. She eventually stopped worrying whether they were being followed. They even stopped running after a while and were just walking through the woods as if they were a normal young couple taking an evening stroll.

She scoffed at the idea. _Normal couple. _How were they ever going to be normal? How were they going to get out of Orion? She never wanted to be back home so badly. She thought she was going to enjoy this trip, to a certain extent (which was originally shortened because of the fact that her best friend was practically committing herself to a life of purgatory). Now there was a completely different reasoning to the lack of enjoyment of this trip.

"Do you think we lost them?"

"I heard gun fire a while back."

Cassandra turned to Jim with a look of panic in her eyes. "Do you think Marianne and Murat are alright?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I don't think anyone could mess with either of them. They'll be fine."

She looked a little unconvinced but still nodded. He wrapped an arm around her they continued walking till they reached the road.

"What are you doing? They'll be checking the roads."

"We need to get a ride." He explained.

"You think that's the only squadron he would have sent out. Jim their going to be checking everywhere. Especially the roads. He knows that we're going to want to get out of Orion as soon as possible."

Jim stared at her for a moment then burst out laughing. "You're right you should be a Space Captain."

"Why?"

"Because you think like one."

"Now is not the time to be complimenting or teasing me, James. We have to focus. Can you focus for me right now?"

He threw back his head and laughed even harder. "Now you sound like my wife. You would definitely be good at juggling both those jobs."

She tried to resist smiling. "Can you try to take this situation a little bit seriously?"

Still chuckling but nodded. "Yeah. Okay."

She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "But you are right we do need to get a ride if we're going to get to the docks as soon as possible."

"We can always go with my suggestion."

She stopped and stared down the road with a look of annoyance and frustration on her face. She was beginning to feel like she and Jim were married to one another. They were arguing like an old married couple. She knew that one way or another Jim was going to get his way. He had so far, well in most respects anyway. She had to admit sometimes, even though he had a plan which she had a feeling was going to work fine, that it was just so annoying admitting that he was right. He never went by the textbook and she could remember literally some parts of that textbook her father showed her when she was a kid.

"Fine." She replied.

"Okay." He held up his hand and gestured for a ride.

"You realise you look like an absolute idiot." She stated.

"And standing there with your hands on your hips isn't particularly productive. Besides I'm your idiot."

"Yeah I was given the best of the lot wasn't I?"

~ (***) ~

The docks were eerily quiet as Jim and Cassandra passed through and searched for a ship to board. They had no idea where any of them were going but they knew that if they didn't get onto one soon they were dead. Most of them were probably going to be leaving in the early hours of the morning so it would be best to board one now rather than wait until everyone comes flooding out of the inns and be spotted. No one ever frequented the storage rooms below deck so they knew that would be the best place to hide and once they reached their destination they would leave along with the rest of the crew.

Jim scanned the row of ships and knew that any would be as good as the other. They all had one thing in common. They were moving far from Orion and that was where they needed to be. He grabbed her hand and ran across in the night air to a ship climbed up by the rope holding it to the dock. Jim went first with Cassandra following after who did fairly well but needed a little bit of a hand at the end. He wrapped his arms around her and she held onto his by wrapping her arms round his neck. She blushed a little at their proximity which made him raise an eyebrow but made no comment.

She straightened her dress when he put her down and looked around the ship. It was fairly impressive for a space vessel and even had delicate little touches to the design with the gold-lined carvings and pure white paint.

"Jim." She said in a shaky voice. "I don't think this is a merchant ship."

Jim sighed. "Look it doesn't matter what kind of a ship it is. All that matters is that the next destination is as far away as possible."

She nodded uncertainly followed him down the stairs. Jim called over his shoulder a little too late "Mind your head." After she hit her head against the low ceiling.

"Awww. You okay?" He laughed.

"Yeah. I'm just too tall." She moaned.

Jim frowned and looked her up and down. "You're not that tall."

She raised an eyebrow taking the offered hand while still pressing her hand firmly against her forehead.

"Well not according to my teachers. Especially my dance teacher, since I was in the taller half of the girls I would always be the male part. Hence the terrible dancing."

"On the contrary I thought you were a natural dancer. The great thing about folk dancing is that there isn't really a male or female role in the whole dance."

She smiled. "Maybe that's why I liked it so much."

He brushed a strand of hair from her eyes. "That's because you are natural. It's what I like about you."

She rolled her eyes and nodded. "Yeah. You said that."

He chuckled. "Did I?"

"Uh-huh."

He pulled a face. "Sorry."

"It's alright. It's just over the years at dinner and balls I would have tons of men complimenting me whether they were being genuine or not. In fact they were all probably lying since they probably knew more about my income than I did. In fact I didn't know about it until before we left."

He turned back to her and touched her shoulder. "You don't have to feel like that again." He shrugged his shoulders. "It's like what you told me about my Dad. You don't have to bring yourself down because of what other people may think of you."

She nodded. "Yeah. I know."

He gave her a look as if to say 'I don't think you do' when it actual fact that was more closer to the truth than what she implied. She had never been much for one to admit to the truth, not because she was concerned for what others would think of her but because of what she would be admitting to herself. She had been so confused and so lost for so long that now she finally decided to stop being lost and know where she was going to go. She had been running continuously from those questions she didn't wish to answer and simply avoided. Now when she stopped they were able to catch up with her and now she had to answer the call.

After you had given your testimony you were either free to go or you had to receive a prison sentence. Cassandra didn't have to pay her dues she could go free but then again there were still some things she had to deal with as all jury members had to. You always walked out that court room carrying a little bit of guilt. Sometimes directed at the family members involved and even the accused if they were innocent but were declared guilty or if not you still felt sorry for anyone else affected by all of this. If it was your life on the line sometimes you would walk out that court room feeling a little bit guilty for getting away with it. Or if not someone else paying for it.

There was someone always having to pay. This world was never fair all the time but eventually people got what they deserved. You had to go down rough roads but eventually you had to go off those roads and things got a little smoother soon enough. However you had to stop and think which direction you're going to take when before you had been carrying this vague idea of your destination and you have to decide what that first step is going to be. Eventually you had to decide where you were going to go. No one can never go through life being aimless successfully. But its not only that you have to find out whether its a hard or easy step or whether its a leap or whatever.

All these things are important when you're considering your future. No one knows what's going to happen to them but you can always guarantee its the most unexpected thing. For Cassandra it was now just matter of whether she was brave enough to take that first step or leap when it wasn't the one she intended to take. People who watched her thought she was brave but she wasn't even brave enough to ask herself what she really wanted. Everything had changed now, the rules had been modified slightly and she to play by them whether she liked it not.


	42. The Worst Luck

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

**A/S: **Okay guys I just want you to know, that you're currently just about to start reading the penultimate chapter here and before you start bombarding me with emails or throwing garbage at me I just want to assure everyone that this isn't going to be the end of Jim and Cassandra. It's only the beginning...Okay erase the corny line. Basically there is going to be a sequel to this story and yes this story will just so happen to end on a cliff hanger and I can only hope that you will be...impressed by it? Even like it a little bit...? Anyway I will stop talking and just get on with it. Sorry for the long wait by the way...

The Worst Luck

For **Broadwaybiz560**

_When they arrived it was cold, stormy and dark, like a night in the opening of a Gothic romance. How appropriate it was. Although this was no romance. And this was no ghost story. All of this was real. And all of this was her fault. She was hearing it in the streets. She had to cover her eyes to block out all the things they were saying. The worst part of it all was that none of it was lies. All of it was her fault. If she had never said anything to them none of this would have happened. It was all her fault...No matter what Jim said..._

_She glanced up at the inn glowing in the distance. She wrapped her arms around herself and tugged on the hood of her cloak in case anyone should spot her. If she was seen she would be arrested on sight. No hesitations. No trial. Her only destination would be behind closed bars and she would probably rot in there for the rest of her days. Like she said it was all her fault. Someone had to pay the price and that person just happened to be her. She didn't mean for any of this to happen, but it did. She didn't want it to be her fault, but it was._

_Now because of what she had done she had to pay the worst prices of all. She had to loose everything she held dear to her. Her chance for a future. Her family. Her friends. Her freedom. Everything that she loved more than anything was now gone. Well, she still had one thing...Jim. Jim would always stand beside her. He would still help her. He was even helping her now to seek asylum. Even if he was risking his own life..._

~ (***) ~

Jim and Cassandra settled themselves down in a dark corner of the ship amongst the barrels and mechanical equipment so that they wouldn't be seen. He smirked at the memory of the last time he had to sneak onto a ship, but then again this was less dangerous circumstances. Well actually the circumstances were a lot more dangerous now. Before he was just being pursued by pirates. This time there was a risk of open war. They sat down so close to another that they had their legs pressed against each other. Jim wrapped his arm around her shoulders and felt her shiver against him. Not out of nervousness but the cold.

Cassandra looked around and smirked nervously. "Nice place." She joked.

Jim glanced down at her and smirked. "I suppose its got its own little charm." He replied.

"I just hope it isn't always going to be this cold all the time down here. Otherwise I hope theres some blankets round here." She commented looking around.

"I'm sure there will be." He assured her. "Shall I go get some now?"

He about to get up but she stopped him and shook her head. "Not yet. Can you just stay here for a moment? Just...Hold me?"

He nodded wordlessly and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He glanced down at her staring into the darkness.

"What are you thinking about?" He whispered.

She smiled. "I'm not thinking I'm wondering."

He tilted his head. "Alright what are you wondering then?"

"I wondering if we're all going to be alright in the end."

Jim raised an eyebrow. "That's a bit of a broad statement. You're going to be fine, Cassandra. When you get back you'll be able to go to scho-"

She shook her head in frustration. "No I don't mean that. I mean- I was wondering whether we were going to be able to stop the Duke. If all of this goes wrong Jim its not only us who are going to get hurt. The whole galaxy will be at war. The first Celestrial War did not end well. Did you see the numbers of people who died on all sides?"

Jim looked away with a darkened look on his face. "Well...The official numbers given aren't exactly the actual numbers of people who died. More people died in those wars than the public was told." He explained when her saw the confused expression on her face.

"It's going to be okay. You know that right?"

She nodded, still shivering. "We're going to get off this planet." He continued. "We're going to get as far away from here as possible and get to Montressor then we're going to warn everyone of what's happening here and then...Everything will be fine."

"But what if that leads to another war, Jim? What if whatever we do to try and stop it it still ends up bringing about another war?"

He shook his head. "It won't come to that." He kissed the top of her head. "I promise."

~ (***) ~

_Jim knocked on the door the same moment lightening flashed in Cassandra's eyes quickly followed by rolling thunder. She shivered rather than jumped at the sudden fright, considering there were more pressing matters weighing down on her mind. She clung onto his arm as if she were a child and rested her head on his shoulder as they waited in the cold wind for his mother to answer the door. She hoped that she had received the letter otherwise Mrs Hawkins was going to be in for a shock..._

_A skinny woman about the same height as Cassandra in her mid maybe late forties answered the door. She looked like she hadn't been sleeping in weeks but then again Cassandra were her she would be exactly the same. If she had heard that her son was somewhere which as the most frequent topic of conversation for the past week for all the wrong reasons she would equally paranoid. Cassandra knew immediately that this was Jim's mother. She could see who he had got his big, bright blues and brown hair from anyway..._

"_Jim!" The woman flung her arms around him. _

_Cassandra stood there in the cold feeling a little uncomfortable while waiting for them to stopping hugging one another. Then again they were mother and son and she knew already that he had been in more danger than she expected him to be. Even though it was part of his job description...She could remember being incredibly close to her own father. The one wish she had over the past few weeks that he was still alive so that he could be here to comfort her. _

_The woman eventually drew away from Jim with her hand still resting on his shoulder. Cassandra couldn't help but feel like there was a sense of ownership on her part just by making this mere gesture. Her eyes slowly drifted from Jim to Cassandra and which suddenly made her feel like she was being put under a microscope. She was putting them all in danger, she was going to have to expect a little bit of resentment and antagonism._

_Cassandra decided to be the one to blink and stepped forward offering and outstretched hands and gave an uncertain but friendly smile. Sarah Hawkins looked at her hand and then back at her, after what seemed like an age she took the hand firmly and shook it. Cassandra couldn't tell whether this was a resentful or nervous handshake but she couldn't stop herself from cradling her hand as she had broken every bone in her hand. _

"_Please come in." Sarah Hawkins said as she beckoned them inside. "You must have had a hard journey. I'll go get a room ready for you to sleep in."_

~ (***) ~

At first, Cassandra tried counting the hours but she became increasingly impatient. She began tapping her foot against the wood planks until Jim gave her a look when he placed his hand on her knee. She then began counting the minutes and then the seconds when the dawn would arrive to take them away from this Godforsaken place. She could only pity those who had to live under the rule of that man which wanted to rage an unjustified war to satisfy his overgrowing greed.

"Do you know what time it is?"

Jim glanced out a crack in the wood where he could see outside and saw no sign of the dawn on the horizon.

"We won't be going any time soon."

She sighed and tucked herself into the crook of his arm. "You should try and sleep." He suggested.

She shook her head. "I can't."

"Is it because you're cold? Shall I get a blanket or something? I'm sure there's one around here somewhere-"

She placed her hand on his arm gently to stop him. "No. It's not that."

Jim blinked. "What is it?"

She rolled her eyes. "Well...There's a lot on my mind, Jim. Considering what we've been through for the past few hours."

"Is it about us? I thought we talked about this-"

She shook her head. "Wrong again."

He raised an eyebrow. "Is it about what he threatened to do? Because we're going to stop him. You have my word on that."

She shook her head again. It was something else that he had said and as she was ashamed to admit something which bothered her much more than what was going to happen to everyone else if the Duke should succeed.

"Then what is it?"

She turned away and stared into the darkness for a moment before answering him. "I don't even know why I'm bothering myself with this. I shouldn't believe him but..."

He voice trailed off into the darkness wondering if she was ever going to say those words aloud that night or ever at all. It was not only cruel but disrespectful towards both their memories. The memories of two people who she held so close to her heart even though they were so far away from her now. How could she allow herself to get to this place now? How could she let his poisonous words to infect her mind? Was she ever going to bring herself to admit to it? Was she ever going to give in to what he had told her? Was she going to even consider that he may be right? Was she going to, even for a moment, begin to doubt who her father was altogether?

~ (***) ~

It was daybreak when they arrived back in Montressor. George had never felt so relieved or so worried in his entire life. He had been thrown into dangerous situations throughout his whole training in the Academy and he had this uncanny talent to remain calm in all those situations. When he was assigned as Captain in some exercises people who were assigned to him as the crew members gave a sigh of relief knowing that they were going to be under his command. Although right now, even when he was out of danger, he had never been so scared in his entire life. It wasn't his life he was concerned about of course.

He was beginning to wonder whether he was beginning to wonder whether he was going to see his sister again. Cassandra was strong and resourceful. Her being able to escape the clutches of their brothers intentions for her was enough proof that when so many others had failed. It had been days and he expected them to be able to catch up with them at least even when they were travelling at a faster speed than they were on their onward journey. As they docked he saw someone waiting for him on the docking bay. The last person he expected to be the first person to be greeting him on his return.

He waited until it was safe for him to get off the ship before running over to his brother. "Fredrick? What are you doing here?"

The older brother stood up so that he could seem that little bit taller than George, just to intimidate him. George knew this wasn't a good sign.

"I was here to see if you had got back safely from your first Space Voyage. You're back here in one piece. No scratches. I suppose that's a good sign. Although I am also here to see our sister."

George paled. He knew he wasn't going to be able to get out of this one. He had hoped that he would be able to protect her for a few days but now that he had arrived at the dock there was no way of hiding it.

"She..."

"Where is she George?" He moaned impatiently.

George scratched the back of his head. "Well...Well you see..."

"Oh out with it George!" He bellowed causing a few heads to turn.

George looked around self-consciously and was about to answer until an angel at his side came to his rescue.

"Hello, sir. I am Diana Firestone. Are you acquainted with Mr Richardson?"

Fredrick blinked at the red-haired girl and stepped back. "I am his brother, Ma'am. Were you...I

am sorry but were you not to be married to the Duke of Orion?"

She laughed charmingly. "Ah yes. Well you see, it turned out that we discovered there was a problem with the arrangements and conditions of our engagement and the marriage had to be postponed. Although I rather doubt it shall ever happen at all."

"I see. May I ask where my sister is? I believe you are a good friend of hers."

"Certainly. She is currently taken hostage by my soon-to-be ex-fiancé."

It took a while for Fredrick to take this in then stared at George in horror. "Is this true George? Why didn't you tell me? Or send me a message?"

"Well he was about to tell you but you interrupted him. As I did also but, I'm sure you don't mind do you George?" She asked him sweetly.

Fredrick looked between the two and shook his head. "May I speak to the Captain?"

"Ah, well he also stayed behind to help your sister escape. I'm sure they may have escaped by now and are merely on their way back here."

"This all sounds rather far-fetched." Fredrick replied narrowing his eyes at Diana.

"Oh feel free to check the ship." Diana offered.

Tired of her forwardness Fredrick marched towards the ship leaving Diana and George standing there. He watched his brother angrily walk towards the ship probably to harass Cassandra about some man she had refused to marry which he would think to be a good match for her. George could only begrudgingly think that he didn't have to worry about that for much longer if there had been any developments between Jim and his sister in his absence. Although she was his sister he didn't want to think about that so he decide to turn his attentions back to to Diana. He had never seen her like that before...

"Well you handled my brother well."

She looked a little uncertain. "Did I?"

He laughed and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Other than my sister I have never seen anyone talk to my brother like that before. You were brilliant!" He replied a little too enthusiastically.

She blushed and cast her eyes to the ground. She looked up a little and saw one or two people watching them. Nothing in their eyes made her think they were thinking anything bad about them. However she never liked to be stared at. George followed her eyes and saw what was wrong.

"You don't have to worry anymore. No one is going to think any less of you. In fact they're going to think very highly of you for rejecting him."

She stroked his arm. "Thank you."

"Besides I wouldn't want you to say no to me because there would be anything wrong with us..."

"What?"

George was about to ask her something but was interrupted by his brother. "I've checked the ship from top to bottom, in every corner and I can see that neither of you are lying. So what have you done? Have you sent word to the guard?"

"What? I-"

Fredrick rolled his eyes. "Don't worry. I'll do it. You will need to come with me anyway and I need to talk to you on the way there."

Fredrick was beginning to pull him away until halted and gestured for him to wait and ran back to Diana.

"I'll see you soon." He promised and kissed her quickly on the lips when his brother wasn't looking.

George ran back to Fredrick who had an impatient, frustrated expression on his face. George and Fredrick had never gotten along. In fact none of the siblings seemed to get along with Fredrick. He was so determined to be the head of the family and to be stronger and firmer than his father ever was on them but the problem was because of that he was unable to command their respect. He was too high-minded and prejudiced to have their respect.

"You seem to like her a great deal." He noticed.

"Lady Firestone is easy to admire. She's very intelligent, gracious, modest-"

"And I am sure you find her income very attractive also." Fredrick slurred.

"No Brother that would be something that would attract you the most to a woman." George snapped.

Fredrick raised an eyebrow. "Lots like the dog has finally decided to bite. Maybe the Academy has instilled a little assertiveness into after all. Took you long enough." He added under his breath.

"Well at least I don't feel the need to belittle everyone in order to make myself feel like I have a little bit of power. When really Fredrick you have no power over anyone in this family. Not me. Least of all, Cassandra."

"Well while we are on that topic I might as well say what I intended to talk about today with our sister."

"What about it?"

"Her inheritance? Do you know how much it's worth?"

"We aren't really interested in money, Fredrick. Only you."

The words were intended to inflict a blow upon his pride and from the look in Fredrick's eyes it had hit the mark dead on. He stepped back a little and was shaking all over. George was half-afraid that he was going to strike him. Not because of those fears he had of his brother since he was a boy but because it was never good for someone within his occupation to have a violent confrontation in public. It didn't exactly send out a good message about those whose job it was to protect the civilians. Fredrick seemed to calm down a little and took a deep breath.

"As I was saying...Our father seems to have left a great deal of money. A little more than he left us." He replied carefully.

George had to admit he was a little hurt by this but at the same time he could see the reason why he did this. His father knew what sort of man Fredrick was. He wasn't ignorant because he was his first son and heir. He was doing that so that when she needed to, Cassandra would have the resources in order to survive without troubling anyone else. He knew her well enough also.

"So this isn't just about your pride and jealousy...But also about money? Is there anything...valuable that you actually care about in this world? It's our fathers wishes I can't believe you're questioning this..."

"I am questioning it with good reason..." He began heatedly.

"Because you want the money for yourself?" He replied dryly.

"Oh for god's sake George will you listen to me? When I investigated into it further I found something else which makes me question why he was giving her so much money."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean...Is that she may not entirely be our sister." George blinked wordlessly allowing Fredrick to continue. "I read our mothers medical records and there was no documentation of our sisters birth. Besides...She was born during the time when our father was at war."

"He must have got back from leave and besides documentation must have gone out the window during that time, Fredrick."

"Oh please, even bastards were documented. Lord and Whore written down on the paper under where the names of the parents went."

George folded his arms. "So...What are you saying? Are you saying our father just found some orphan and brought him home to raise him as his own? That doesn't make sense."

"Well he certainly makes a habit out of it." Fredrick noted thinking of Helen Arkwright.

"Well what have you found which makes you so sure?" He spat.

Fredrick was quiet for a moment. "Nothing."

"Then you really can't be sure can you?" George replied walking back to where Diana would still be. She was all he wanted to be with right now...

~ (***) ~

Jim could see from the look on her face that something was wrong. Something which was really haunting her mind and Cassandra was never one to allow someone to bother her this much. Unless it was something truly terrible. Something which made her question everything about herself. He had noticed that she had a few of those early to late teen crisis's but then again who was he to judge. When he was fifteen he was one step away from spending a few months in Juvenile hall. She was being a lot less deviant than he was when it came to expressing all the anger which was caused by teen angst.

"What is it? What did he say?"

"He told me...He told me about my parents. He was implying that there were a lot of things I didn't know about them and that they had done things which...might make me think twice about what sort of people they were."

Jim blinked. "You do realise that he's just saying that to get to you. It's villain 101."

Cassandra giggled. "Villain 101?"

Jim looked back at her blankly. "It exists." He insisted. "Anyway I knew your Dad and I know that he is a good man. I also know for a fact that he isn't capable of doing anything that would make you think any differently."

Cassandra rested her chin on his shoulder. "I hope you're right."

Jim lean down and brushed his lips against hers. "I know I'm right." He whispered. "I also know you need to get warm. You're shivering like a leaf."

"No-"

"I won't accept no for an answer." He called over his shoulder before walking into the darkness.

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Fine."

She wasn't going to be able to convince him to do otherwise anyway. Just thinking about marriage between the two of them she was sure that they were going to fight sometimes and those arguments were never going to be resolved because both of them were so stubborn. She wasn't even sure it would be a good idea. She never thought she would be one for marriage and was rather comfortable in the ambition of being a Space Captain since it would put off the arrival of marriage or a proposal for many years or would allow her to avoid it altogether.

She heard a noise and at first she thought it was Jim and crawled out of their hiding place. Although when she heard voices she knew that wasn't a good sign. Since she knew Jim didn't make a habit out of talking to himself in different voices it only meant one thing. That someone else was here. When she strained her ears to figure out who it might be it was a lot worse than what her first guess would be. A lot worse...

~ (***) ~

_Cassandra climbed up the stairs as if her feet was made of lead. She had never felt so nervous in her entire life. Sarah was at the top of the stairs with her hands on her hips as she waited to show her the room she would be staying in. She glanced over her shoulder to look at Jim who gave her an encouraging smile but when she turned back to his mother all that disappeared into thin air. She had heard the horror stories of daughter and mother in laws seldom getting along but she never imagined that her first impression would be this bad. Under normal circumstances she was sure she and Sarah Hawkins would get along. _

_Sarah nodded stiffly down the corridor. "Follow me."_

_Cassandra obeyed diligently and was led into almost the first room on the right. It was like she wanted to spend as little time as possible with her. _

"_There's a bell for you to ring if you need anything."_

"_Oh don't worry I'll be fine. But thank you anyway." Cassandra said instantly touching her arm without thinking about it. _

_Both women stared at each other awkwardly, unsure of what to do next. "Sorry." Cassandra said instantly snatching her hand away as if she had burnt her hand. _

_Sarah nodded. "Okay."_

_Cassandra turned away and heard her begin to walk out the room and sighed. "Wait."_

_Sarah stopped at her doorway. "Yes?"_

_Cassandra turned back to her. "I am sorry."_

_Sarah blinked. "It's alright."_

"_No I mean about...About what happened. I didn't mean for all this to happen. I want to say that it wasn't my fault and mostly it wasn't but I can't deny that I did have a part to play in all of it...Mostly it just came to bad luck."_

_Sarah was quiet for a while and for a moment Cassandra was scared she was just going to walk away and shun her for the rest of her time there. Instead she folded her arms and walked towards her. _

"_And what would you say if I asked what you meant by bad luck?" She demanded. _

_Cassandra shrugged her shoulders. "That Diana's Grandmother chose the wrong bachelor for her Grand-daughter...That your son and I chose the wrong ship to hide in..."_

~ (***) ~

"Well I do hope that you consider our proposal." Said the familiar, slurry voice.

"I wouldn't worry too much upon that account, my Lord." The other voice, gruffer than the Duke's, replied. "My master knows a good offer when he sees one."

"Then I am glad your master has more wisdom than his predecessors. Is does still fill us with absolute shame about the history between our two nations-"

"I would not worry about it too much, my Lord. My master does not even think upon it when you are mentioned."

"Well I must say that has certainly put my mind to rest." The Duke replied graciously.

"I hear you are to be married? To rather beautiful young lady from Montressor I am told?"

The Duke chuckled. "Yes, she certainly is. Although..."

"What?"

"Well we were to be married but suddenly she left in the dead of night not informing me or my guards. No word."

"Are you serious? Sir, if I may?"

"Of course."

"I would break off the engagement. If you would forgive me I also heard she is someone of little social standing. Her father, a politician and a noble. Yes. But not of any blood line from royalty or even nobility. I am sure there are other more worthy women and more deserving."

"You flatter me too much, Sir."

_Yes, you certainly do. _Cassandra thought to herself.

"I am even sure than the King of Celestri would be willing to marry off one of his daughters to you as a...new instalment to the proposal."

"I have heard many great things about them. I will consider the offer most strongly."

_Celestri? This was an envoy from Celestri?_

Cassandra was so shocked she fell back and knocked over a barrel. So much for the dancing lessons...She heard a flurry of feet hurry towards her and a moment later she saw the Duke and the representative standing over them, with a ghost of a smile on the Duke's face.

"What are you doing here?"

"I..."

"What right have you, Lady, to board this vessel?"

She slowly got to her feet, glaring at the Duke. "Sir, if you would give me a moment, I may be able to explain."

"Very well." The envoy snapped curtly.

"I am here because I was taken hostage."

The envoy exchanged a look between Cassandra and the Duke. "Are you accusing me of something?"

"No." She stuttered. "I was taken hostage by the Duke."

The Duke chuckled. "I believe this girl may be a little confused. She must have wandered here from the bars, Sir."

"I am making no joke and if I may be so bold I would not take your proposal to your master considering this man will cross you as Orion has crossed Celestri before."

"So now you accuse this gentleman now? What wrong has he done towards you? Other than these ridiculous allegations?"

"He was also going to bring my friend, his fiancée into his schemes, to what purpose I don't want to even begin to speculate. Although he did have his men attack our ship which no doubt he would pin on your master."

"How dare you!" The representative spat. "How dare you make such claims!"

"Do you know what I think madam? I think you are a spy for Monstressor. As I recall your Grace they were also at war aren't nearly as gracious to your master as our nation cares to be. Seems rather suspicious don't you think? For someone to come here and make claims almost to the point of forcing us into war with one another once again?"

The idea was now planted in the man's mind and he turned back to Cassandra with his eyes burning with more rage than she had ever seen.

"Well that does rather make sense..."

Cassandra shook her head. "No. Gentleman. That is the last thing that I want. You should not believe his lies!"

"Don't waste your breath. As soon as I get back to my master I will inform them of Monstressors deceit and mark me you will wish you never set foot on Orion soil."


	43. Your Destiny Awaits

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Treasure Planet

**A/S: **Okay, here's the last chapter. I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I will be writing a sequel but I can't confirm how long it will be till I start writing it considering my other stories I've got running at the moment but I will tell you that it will be called **Another Again. **So look out for it and I will send out emails to people when it does come out if you would like that as well.

I also want to say that I am sorry I haven't got round to dedicating a chapter to everyone but I will be doing one-shotS but only a few and of course there is the sequel so if you're feeling left out don't worry there will be your chance to get a dedication. So I think that's it and thank you everyone for your support and actually reading this. This is actually not only my most read but the story with the most reviews, most story alerts and favourities...Guys what are you like? **Laughes** Anyway. I hope to see you guys soon and THANK YOU!

Your Destiny Awaits

For **Edward Cullen's Girl**

John walked into his favourite bar in Montressor. He was considering popping by to see Jim after the recent events. When he heard that Jim was the Captain of the ship which bore the woman who was being blamed for the war against Monstressor he thought two things. First: He was proud Jim had made it. Second: He needed to see him. But when he arrived he reconsidered knowing that he would have enough trouble without having an old pirate friend coming to visit him. He hoped that his name could be cleared.

At first he wanted to track down this girl and make her pay for Jim's troubles. But he had seen Marianne recently and seeing her again certainly changed everything. She was on her way to Monstressor but had to stop off somewhere else before arriving. When he mentioned what happened and knowing he could tell his daughter anything he pretty told her everything about Jim. She then angrily cleared up everything about this Cassandra Richardson and he had to admit Marianne's version made much more sense than what the press was saying.

After hearing his daughters side she even began to feel sorry for this girl. When she mentioned Jim she sounded somewhere between resentful and distrusting. It wasn't that she wanted to blame Jim for all this...It was something else...John pressed his daughter upon this subject and all she said was that 'he was just behaving like any man his age does when he sees a girl he fancies'. John smirked to himself at the thought of Jim having his head in the clouds over some girl.

John sipped his drink and thought about what this was going to mean for everyone. He certainly might be able to get a little bit of business during the war, as much as he was ashamed to admit it, pirate could earn quite a bit more then during times of peace. Even from the authorities. Jim was sure to have to go off to fight. Jim was a tough lad but...To have to go to war was a terrible thing. He could remember the first Celestrial War...He had a feeling though that this one was going to be worse. The ones which follow are always worse than the one before it. However for his family, the first was a little worse...

They had all got through it in their own way. Marianne didn't talk about it anymore. He made him swear not to tell Morat. It was probably best not to tell him poor boy...He wouldn't know how to take it. He would ask all sorts of questions all the time and that wouldn't make it any easier for Marianne. She had no choice in the matter. The sort of life they led...it wasn't the best for raising a child. He knew that better than anyone. He was still having to make up for that mistake...

He was about to order another drink when someone walked in. He didn't realise that moment was going to change everything from that moment on. Of course everyone glanced in the direction of the door when the bell rang. It was curiosity. That was all it was. There were many reasons why someone walked into a bar. Everyone had a story, some even had the balls to tell it. There was something about this newcomer though. Something that just wasn't right...

At first glance they seemed pretty normal. Dressed in baggy-ish trousers, hard, sensible boots, a shirt and a huge jacket which seemed too big on him and a huge hat concealing the face. He glanced at newcomer a little closely and saw that it was a girl. The trousers were baggy but tight enough to reveal her womanly figure. The shirt was a little bit on the short side and showed a little of the mid-drift. Her long dark hair hung down from her head like wild vines hanging off a tree. When he looked closer he saw her bright, piercing green eyes. There was something familiar about those eyes...

The girl looked away quickly and sat a couple of seats away from John not making contact with anyone. The bartender walked up to her and eyed her suspiciously.

"You look a bit young love."

He was right. She looked no older than twenty.

"Oh don't worry I won't have anything like that."

The bartender nodded and got her some purp juice. John glanced across the bar, knowing it was reasonably respectable he wasn't taking any chances and walked over and sat next to her.

"Hey, love. Mind if I join ya'?"

She gave him a cynical smile. "I don't mind but I hope you're sure about that."

John leaned forward and chuckled. "Are you on the run from the law? You wanted for a high price? Then again with a bonny face like that I wouldn't be surprised."

She raised an eyebrow. "You're right upon one of those accounts."

"You sound very prim and proper for a girl who's just walked into a place like this. What you doing here love?"

"Trying to find a ride out of here. It's not exactly safe for me here. Or for anyone."

"Oh...I'm sorry, love. It's not good for the soul to be thinking stuff like that."

She nodded. "Especially when its true."

"I'm sure it isn't."

The bartender brought her the drink and thanked him. She stared off for a moment contemplating something and smiled faintly.

"You know, early this morning I left a man who loved me and would probably stand by me through all of this even though it would ruin everything he worked for, for me. And I just walked out on him. He offered me shelter and I said no."

"And why did you do that, love?"

"Because I love him too much to hurt him like that. He deserves better than me."

"Now I know that isn't true!" He protested. "I know a good woman when I see em'."

"Not many come in here then?"

John chuckled. "Not really. No."

Cassandra hoped he wouldn't suspect anything. She had already given enough away for him to be able to figure it all out. She felt so ashamed of what she had done over the past few hours. She knew it was going to hurt him but if she stayed she would be hurting him even more. She would destroy everything he had. She had to ride this one out alone. Even though everyone told her she didn't have to do things alone anymore. But she had to fix this alone...There was no other way...

She smiled. One love broke apart and another was tied together forever. The night before Diana and George got married in a private ceremony with she, Jim, Helen and Selina as the witnesses. She had discovered now that Helen and Diana were cousins and that Helen's mother was the rich young woman who ran off with the doctor. She had to admit she wasn't particularly surprised. She could see the similarity. Not necessarily in looks but perhaps in their temperaments and personalities. During the ceremony Jim was gripping her hand glanced at her every now and then. When their eyes met he would smile as if they were sharing a secret which didn't need to be said aloud.

That was when she began to worry. That was when she knew. He would go that far for her. He had marriage on his mind and that just showed how much he actually loved her. He would throw away everything for her. One day he would regret it. Or if not him, she would regret it. He had everything she ever wanted and she didn't want to witness him throwing that all away. It wasn't that she didn't love him back. In fact, knowing this made her love him even more but now that she loved him to this point also made her love him enough to let him go. So that he couldn't be dragged into this any further. He could still pass. He could still get away without being associated with any of this.

So that night after kissing her on the doorway, even hesitating for a moment, perhaps even considering following her into her room and taking things further than they had done in the hotel room. But she put a stop to that. She had to. She said goodnight and went to her bed for the last time. It would be even more crueller to that and then leave the next morning. It would leave a mark on both them. She waited until she couldn't hear a stir and went to his old room and stole his clothes. He wasn't there for that night. He had been called to the Academy or something. It didn't matter. She was able to slip away more easily.

She thought about leaving a note. That was the only thing she would leave behind except for the memories that could never be erased. She thought it would be kinder. But wouldn't leaving some reminder be even more painful for him? Then again leaving with no word would imply she never cared for him. That was always a bad sign and she was already doing what his father did to him. She wished there was a painless way to do this but there was no other way...

So she did leave a note. Something she wasn't sure whether she was going to regret or not. She told him that she loved him. She told him that was the one thing she was more sure of than anything. That she loved him. There was no need for comparisons. No need for great declarations. It was a simple truth which she could just simply state as it was a part of her now. It always would be. She told him that they would see one another once again. Once she had cleared her name they would see one another once again. She told him she wasn't asking him to wait for her. It was alright to love again. She told him she loved him that much for him to find something better than her.

Then she left. Without a sound. Without a whisper. Without a goodbye. As if she was never there. Except for the words and the memories she would leave behind.

"You're a good woman. I can tell that much."

"Because I speak prim and proper?" She joked.

"Because you regret what you done but it was the only thing you could do. I don't know much about love but I'm sure that's a good sign."

"You experienced much in love?" She asked.

"Well I have two kids. And the occasional female company...For those who'll take me." He replied.

Cassandra eyed the mechanical arm and leg and also saw that even expanded to one of his eyes. She didn't want to imagine the reason why he ended up with that.

"I hope it doesn't scare you much."

She realised she had been caught out and looked away quickly. "Sorry."

He waved a hand. "Nah, it's alright. People get curious."

"You might as well be deformed with the way I was looking at you. It was rude." She added quickly in case the first sentence made things worse.

"You are the most polite young woman I have ever come across. Gosh, I wish I had you for a daughter."

"Do you have a daughter?"

"One of each. Both grown up now. Really grown up. I'm not going to ask you to guess me age in case you get in right first time round. I was hoping for a cheerful night."

"Don't worry I'm not interested."

John pretended to look offended making Cassandra laugh uneasily. "Sorry."

"I thought I mentioned I was hoping for a good night out. Not a depressing one." He chuckled. "Anyway you're younger than both my kids so would be a little bit..."

"Inappropriate. Weird."

"Yes. And yes." He took a huge gulp and turned back to her. "Anyway, I've been rude. I must introduce myself. I'm John. Although I'm known by most people as Long John Silver."

He held out a hand and she shook it instantly. She had to admit the name rang a bell. He was probably some pirate with a price on his head.

"What about you, love? What do they call you?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Sure you want to know."

"Absolutely sure. No lying now."

"Very well. It's Cassandra. Cassandra Richardson."


End file.
